Podcasts about Halloween

What True Worship Looks Like by Autumn Dickson I have been thinking a lot about what it means to worship God lately. It keeps popping up through random little avenues in my life. We've had the opportunity to have the missionaries in our home who taught about the ten commandments and only worshipping the one and true God. I've engaged in a couple of conversations about our beliefs of exaltation and what it means to become like our Heavenly Parents. I also recently saw a post about how celebrating Halloween is worshipping the occult, and so I asked myself, is that the truth? I love Halloween, and so I wanted to speak with the Lord and make sure I wasn't doing anything He didn't want me to do. What does it mean to avoid idolatry and only worship Heavenly Father? Let's read a couple of verses in Abraham to give us some principles to live by. Abraham 1:6 For their hearts were set to do evil, and were wholly turned to the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; “…their hearts were wholly turned to the god of…” Your heart is representative of what you truly love. You can go to church and still have your heart oriented somewhere else. You can profess belief in our Heavenly Father and still not worship Him. You can watch Come Follow Me videos all you want, but if your heart is not engaged, it won't save you. And I believe that's the key here. Only the Lord can save us. There are many ways that He saves us, one of which being an entrance into the kingdom of God, but there are many ways that He holds us and cares for us here on earth. He saves us by bringing true joy and peace. That's what it boils down to. He doesn't save us for the sake of saving us, and though that may seem like a silly nuance, it's really important. He saves us because He wants us to be happy. Part of worshipping the only true God is understanding that. Only the Lord can save us. Only the Lord can bring us true joy and peace. We often ask: Is your heart centered on Jesus Christ? Do you only worship the true and living God? Perhaps a fantastic follow-up litmus test is this: Is your search for joy and peace centered on Jesus Christ? The key word here is “centered.” That doesn't mean you can't have other things that make you happy and bring you joy. I believe that the Lord did what He did in order to give us an opportunity to enjoy other things in the context of eternity. There is a reason we keep hearing about the mansions in heaven. We can enjoy incredible things, but what matters in relation to the word “worship” is where our enjoyment is centered. Let's make it come full circle. Why is it important to center our worship, joy, and peace on the Savior? Because everything else will leave us ultimately empty. Nothing else can save you. Nothing else can truly bring joy and peace. There are many wonderful, incredible things out there that bring deep and lasting joy, but all of it will come to naught unless you have something more solid and capable: namely, Jesus Christ. So I go and have fun and enjoy Halloween, all while keeping an eye on the fact that it doesn't matter without Christ. My joy and peace are anchored in Him. Here is another verse to give us a second litmus test of worship. Abraham 1:8 Now, at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to offer up upon the altar which was built in the land of Chaldea, for the offering unto these strange gods, men, women, and children. Before, we covered, “What is bringing you happiness? Is your peace and joy centered on Christ?” My next question is this: what are you willing to sacrifice for these other things that you love? What are you paying for it? There are more questions we can ask that relate directly back to the experience of Abraham. Namely, are you sacrificing others? Are you sacrificing precious relationships with your family members? Are you sacrificing the needs and wants of others who are depending on you? Look at how you spend time throughout the day. Look at the things that bring you a lot of happiness. What do those things cost in time, energy, and resources? What are you dedicating to it? Are sports taking up so much time that you fail to spend quality time with family? Are you so obsessed with to-do lists that your kids are viewed as obstacles rather than purpose? Are you so caught up in social media that your kids miss you? Are you so caught up in anything else on earth that you're sacrificing true joy? Which leads to another follow-up question. Are you willing to hand what you love over to the Lord should He ask? I think of my love of Halloween. If the prophet came out tomorrow and said that we weren't going to celebrate Halloween anymore, would I listen? It's okay to mourn things you love, but are you willing to hand it over as a sacrifice if the Lord asks? He should stand above all other things in your life. Your peace and joy should be centered on Him to the extent that you're willing to give up other forms of joy should He ask. That's what it means to worship. Only worshipping the true and living God means that your peace and joy are centered on Him. It means a deep and abiding understanding that only Christ can really save you, and your ultimate source of relief comes through Him. It means that you're willing to let go of other forms of happiness should He ask you to. It means that you are weighing the costs of where you are investing yourself. The cost of what you love should never tip the scales dangerously away from the most important things, and it should never come at the cost of your relationship with Christ. I testify that true joy and peace is only found in Christ. I testify that He is worth any sacrifice. I testify that anything He asks us to sacrifice is actually only leading us closer to truth and joy. I testify that there is nothing that is more valuable than a relationship with Christ. He is worth the cost of anything else. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Remember in the weirdly rescheduled Halloween episode when Pacey promised to make dinner for everyone when Jen and Dawson came back from New Hampshire? It's time. On their way in, Dawson and Jen agree to keep things low-profile before proceeding to mack on the doorstep AND in the foyer, where their friends all immediately witness them doing. Cue the entrances and exits as Jack worries that Jen and Dawson are both too emotionally raw for what they're embarking on, everyone monitors Joey for signs of an imminent breakdown, and Pacey is alternately annoyed by and concerned about his diners failing to appreciate his food. We tell you where everyone leaves things, so we hope you brought an appetite for our episode on "Appetite For Destruction"!JOIN THE AWT CLUB

We were going to originally drop this on Valentine's Day, but we figured the In the Heights conversation needed an extra holiday in the spotlight. Regardless, here we are, at the end of our Exorcist Franchise journey, as we chat our way through THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER - yet another failed attempt at making The Exorcist series a blockbuster-machine. But hey, we got Ann Dowd, Ellen Burstyn, and the team behind Alex's beloved modern Halloween trilogy so… it can't all be bad, can it?Thank you for joining us in this project! - Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It's everything a Contrarians devotee would want!- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that's emblazoned with one of our four different designs!- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn't just a show about wrestling: it's a brand, a lifestyle. And they're very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we'd like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he's written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Lords: Alex Shannon Topics: Japan in summer is too hot, but there's lots of cool festivals Why can't I have marzipan made by nuns in California? Podcast playlist problems Considering the Snail, by Thom Gunn https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52887/considering-the-snail Microtopics: Traveling. If you need a lot of stuff, or if that stuff needs you. Real Topic Aficionados. Last Life and other lives. Watching a TV series you like and then going back and watching the same episodes again from a different character's perspective. Napping all day and seeing street festivals at night. Walking around with a tower of flaming candles on your head that keep getting tangled in power lines. Why aren't the modern World's Fairs as exciting as the ones from 150 years ago? Making a couple weeks vanish in lieu of a millennium and a half of leap days. Naming your baby Person Who Packs For Themselves. Naming your baby "Supplanter" The littlest bean that's currently born. Growing up enough to realize that everybody is named Luke now. How Bob used to be the funny fake name but now it's Jeremy. The Bob Emergency. The guy you call Baker because he's a baker. The canonical order of ore value in video games. Hacking your save file at home, just like in the good old days. Selling marzipan in a dark room with a turntable and a bell. Things you can eat in some parts of the world that you can't eat in others. San Diego's Best Seattle Burrito. The essence of fine Mexican foods. Australians telling candy companies "stop trying to make Halloween happen" That friend who has digestive issues eating salmon, but only in specific countries. The politics of buying Girl Scout cookies. The best place to sell a Girl Scout cookies on UCSD campus. Boy Scouts trying to sell popcorn, with seemingly no awareness that popcorn is not remotely as good as Girl Scout Cookies. Kobey's Swap Meet. Getting an old timey surgical mannequin at a swap meet so you can practice your surgery. Kids today trying to figure out how to operate a VCR like they're playing Myst. What happens if you put a VHS tape in backwards? Netflix's "continue watching" category, for movies you didn't like enough to finish. We don't want to hear your bra podcasts! The Stanford professor you're gardening for asking you what podcast you're listening to and now you have to explain your weird hobby to your employer. How to listen to podcasts without your boss sneaking up on you. The first time you've been to the dentist without headphones this millennium. Introvert Dentists. Tooth care advice that you forget immediately. Extremely symmetrical knots in a power cable. Climbing, sailing and caving knots. What is a snail's fury? Why is this snail so mad? A turtle that's decided it's go time. Getting really excited about the turtle races at the Renaissance Fair. Watching a carnival game where four people throw five spears each at targets attached to a wall of hay, and none of them manage to hit the wall. Axe throwing bars, where you have a beer and throw axes. Taking up axe throwing as a hobby because whenever someone gets killed with an axe, the police will be sad if they don't have any suspects. Axe throwing failure modes. Dominant javelin throwing strategies. Throwing a javelin further by spinning around like a discus thrower. Bullets: they go where they want.

Based on the released Department of Justice files, here is a rundown of the connection between Jeffrey Epstein and Kimbal MuskThe Engineered RelationshipIn September 2012, around the time of Kimbal Musk's 40th birthday, Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Boris Nikolic actively orchestrated a meeting between Kimbal and an unnamed woman in Epstein's circle. Emails show Nikolic telling Epstein to "prepare [the woman]" for the meeting and suggesting Kimbal might want to "ditch his ex" to be with her.Following a lunch at Epstein's Manhattan penthouse in October 2012, Kimbal emailed both men to express his gratitude: "Jeffrey and Boris, many thanks for connecting me with [the woman]. I believe you both played a role. :)". Nikolic replied with a warning for Kimbal to "be nice" to her, as Epstein "goes crazy when someone mistreats his girls/friends".Depth of InvolvementThe relationship lasted approximately six months, during which Epstein remained a significant behind-the-scenes presence:• Backchannel Communication: The woman frequently forwarded Kimbal's personal messages to Epstein and sought his advice on how to handle the relationship.• Travel Planning: Epstein suggested romantic destinations like Morocco and kept a detailed itinerary of the couple's travels from October through January.• Advice on "Dating": When Kimbal attempted to scale back the relationship to "just dating" in April 2013, the woman consulted Epstein. Epstein responded, "good news now i have you back again, full time," and invited her to his ranch.Attempts to Reach Elon MuskSources suggest Epstein viewed Kimbal as a "means of gaining connection to the Musk family," specifically his older brother, Elon. In late 2012, Epstein and Elon Musk exchanged direct emails regarding a potential visit to Epstein's private island. Elon asked, "What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?". While the trip reportedly did not happen due to logistics, the emails indicate a period where Epstein actively "courted" both brothers.Public Denials vs. Documented EvidenceIn 2026, Kimbal Musk posted a statement on X claiming he only met Epstein once in a New York office during the day and denied that Epstein introduced him to the woman. However, the sources note that Kimbal appears in the Epstein files more than 300 times. The emails depict a "far friendlier and more intricate relationship" than Kimbal has publicly acknowledged, including social jokes about coordinating Halloween costumes and invitations to SpaceX launches.Consequences and Public ReactionThe exposure has led to significant public backlash. Kimbal Musk recently left the board of the Burning Man festival following an open letter from the community calling for a review of his position. While the documents do not accuse the Musk brothers of illegal wrongdoing, they have caused significant "embarrassment and public disgust" by revealing their proximity to Epstein's social and sexual network

As Hawkins gears up for Halloween, tensions rise in Stranger Things: Season 2, Episode 2. A mysterious new high score at the arcade rattles the kids, introducing a rival who may not be what he seems. Meanwhile, Hopper grows increasingly uneasy as he investigates a field of rotting pumpkins, uncovering signs that something is very wrong beneath the surface of town.In this episode, paranoia creeps in, the Upside Down's influence spreads, and the calm before the storm starts to crack. Let's break down the clues, character moments, and ominous hints that set the tone for the season ahead.#StrangerThings #StrangerThings2 #Netflix #Hawkins #UpsideDown #80sVibes #EpisodeReview #TVReview #SeriesBreakdown #TVAnalysis #PopCulture#NerdCulture #GeekCulture #BingeWatching #StreamingNow

Gaur, otsailak 16 astelehena, Presidentearen Eguna da Estatu Batuetan. Jatorriz Washingtonen omenezkoa, gaur egun presidente guztiena. Ez dago horko inauterien arrastorik hemen; mozorroak Halloween egunean eta Gabon Zahar gauean janzten dira. Ez dago, beraz, garizuma aurreko ospakizunik. Soilik, hori, presidentearen eguna.

Episode 108-Planning Halloween 26 Released 15 February 26 Hosts:  John Schelt, Keoni Hutton & Leslie Reed We hope you had a wonderful Valentines Day. We spent the time planning out the rest of the year developing a schedule for future podcast episodes and figuring out what we want to build this year.  Check it out now! Resources mentioned during this episode: Chamber of Haunters Website: https://chamberofhaunters.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chamberofhaunters/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chamberofhaunters ScaredU: https://scaredu.org/ January Lunch & Learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nt3mjl_97s Haunting U can be found at www.hauntingu.com. Sanguine Creek Estates: www.scehaunt.com Sound Effects: Music: Dance of Death http://www.purple-planet.com/ Thunder: Recorded by Mark DiAngelo Uploaded: 07.29.11 http://soundbible.com/1913-Thunder-... License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Modifications: Inserted over Dance of Death Music Evil Laughter: Recorded by Himan Uploaded: 03.13.13 License: Public Domain  http://soundbible.com/2054-Evil-Lau... AI Text to Speech Generator: https://www.hume.ai/ We couldn't continue to bring you awesome content without the support of our sponsors, particularly our Premium sponsors, the Chamber of Haunters, and VFX.  Learn more here: www.chamberofhaunters.com https://vfxcreates.com/ Haunting U is a production of Sanguine Creek Entertainment LLC published under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. All rights reserved.  

Flashback: CREEPY Halloween Stories 2025 By RequestBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

 DownloadWelcome to BONUS time. Land Of The Creeps, specifically GregaMortis and The Twisted Temptress are excited to bring this impromptu bonus episode for Valentines Day. During this episode you will hear Greg and Pearl  mention some horror couples as well as some cool valentine flicks to sink your teeth in. Lastly you will get a few recommendations to watch on your Valentines night with your partner. We hope each and every one of you have an amazing Valentines with your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend,  or your fur baby. either way hopefully love is in the air tonight.HELP KEEP HORROR ALIVE!!LOTC Links :Land Of The Creeps InstagramGregaMortisFacebookTwitterLand Of The Creeps Group PageLand Of The Creeps Fan PageJay Of  The Dead's New Horror Movie PodcastYoutubeInstagramEmailLetterboxdDr. ShockDVD Infatuation TwitterDVD Infatuation WebsiteFacebookHorror Movie PodcastJay Of The Dead's New Horror Movies PodcastYouTube ChannelLetterboxdDVD Infatuation PodcastThe Illustrated Fan PodcastBill Van Veghel LinkFacebookLetterboxdMusic,Movies,Sports & Stuff PodcastFacebook Music Movies Sports & StuffTwisted Temptress LinkLetterboxdLOTC Hotline Number1-804-569-56821-804-569-LOTCLOTC Intro is provided by Andy Ussery, Below are links to his social mediaEmail:FacebookTwitterOutro music provided by Greg Whitaker Below is Greg's Twitter accountTwitterFacebook 

We're back in the old movie house for a vintage alt-Valentines romcom. Arrive early for the trailers — what I would play at some alt-Valentines film festival. Plus, decades-old Valentines‑flavored messaging it's going to be grand.Look, my daughter asked if I was doing a special episode for the upcoming "holiday," and I was like, "What holiday?""Valentines, did you get mom something."“I am now,” Valentine's… aka **** Halloween. Another holiday to unleash sugar onto our loved ones and watch them climb the ceiling...Our feature film is His Girl Friday, which stars Cary Grant as ruthless newspaper editor Walter Burns. You are already familiar with Grant's character as the “Get Out” meme.Rosalind Russell, the pride of Waterbury, CT, plays Hildy Johnson, star journalist. And I need to pause for a second — the movie is based on the play The Front Page, which has two male leads. In His Girl Friday Russell plays that lead and walks out of production for defining the cinematic accomplished female journalist (think Margot Kidder as Lois Lane). So if Russell is not the pride of Waterbury, CT, she should be. And for heaven's sake, don't try to figure out what the deal is with the giant cross marking the eastern side of the Brass City skyline (do you imagine a knee-high ghost town might creep you out)?From Waterbury, let's take I‑84 west and then north on the Thruway (or the Taconic Parkway if you're in the mood for beauty and can drive 55) to Albany, the pride of New York. Heh — I'm still a 518-er by heart. Long live Fish Fry spots and Altamont Fair.Any movie where Albany, NY, figures prominently is my kind of movie. In His Girl Friday, Albany winds up being the destination all along. Walter Burns' motivations in the movie are to rescue Hildy Johnson from a languished life in Albany, NY. And after winning Hildy back, Walter immediately takes her to Albany for their honeymoon. The film is fast-paced and even breaks the fourth wall a few times. Good stuff — two Ironweeds up.In the spirit of tough ladies (but unfortunately not Albany-centric), we have our first trailer for Some Kind of Wonderful: “…this is 1987. Did you know that a girl can be whatever she wants to be?” Mary Stuart Masterson's character asks, as she deals with some doofus named Ray. Gawd, I had such a crush on that character growing up — Stoltz, you idiot.And as mentioned at the top, a slew of other trailers I would consider alt-love stuff (in one case, explicitly because of the soundtrack). And, of course, I'm alt-signaling. I loathe Valentine's Day. Besides selling chocolate and flowers, the holiday seems designed to exasperate loneliness and force wide one's wallet.I don't know about y'all, but I'm still wrestling with the debt of the trinity of expensive American holidays just last year. Did that giant turkey dinner or flat screen under a gayly lit fake tree not say, "I love you?"PS: Hamilton needs more Albany — Alexander married in with the Schuylers. The Burr “Dangerous Man” letter that boiled over the Burr feud was printed in the Albany Register — a ****** Van Rensselaer is mentioned in that letter. You couldn't get more Albany without a beaver and Henry Hudson.Bleh — Albany should steal the logo of Alexander Hamilton doing the “Oh, oh, oh, what a feeling” Toyota jump off the top of the Hamilton star. Put it on the welcome to Albany sign with: "actually we killed Alexander Hamilton."

El presentador de Radioestadio reflexiona en Noticias fin de semana sobre las razones que pueden estar detrás de que cada vez se promocione menos el Día de los Enamorados: "Quiero pensar que sería alguna de estas porque la que quedaría por descarte es la de que amamos menos".

The lights are low, the air's electric, and the monsters aren't hiding anymore. Tonight, the devils dance, the dead stir, and the echoes of Halloween refuse to die.

Happy Valentine's Day!Mrs Murray met the UK StrikeFans.com contingent and Badly WiredLamp (“and friends”) on Thursday to talk about the Cormoran Strike novels. Yesterday, Friday the 13th, Rowling tweeted about the secret she had told them — the title of Strike9:Nick Jeffery found the most likely source of the title Sleep Tight, Evangeline, assuming it is not an anagram, in six minutes:BadlyWiredLamp who was at the Rowling meeting congratulated Nick on twixter seven minutes later: “Well done for finding it Nick!” with a hand salute emoji. Which semi-confirmation from a witness suggests he is spot on.Even more impressive, Nick wrote up a flash post about The Whiskey Shambles and other ‘Evangeline' possibilities at the HogwartsProfessor weblog, ‘Sleep Tight, Evangeline – Title Release for Strike 9.' Nick and John will be discussing this news as well as the Psalter and Head of Persephone charms with miniature book, Tolkien, and mythology expert Dimitra Fimi this weekend for a post here next week. See her ‘Miniature Books in Children's Fantasy' to prepare for that conversation. Stay tuned!But it's Valentine's Day! John and Nick celebrate this Hallmark Holiday with a journey through the Cormoran Strike novels' V-Day celebrations and a discussion of the various Valentines and Cupid's in the story, with special emphasis on the Cupid and Psyche myth that Rowling has suggested is the series story template.That suggestion came the week after Hallmarked Man's publication in the first of her Public Service Announcements to “Robin and Strike fans:”This image came as a surprise even to Hogwarts Professor subscribers because, though we have been writing and talking about the Cupid and Psyche myth as one of the mythological templates behind the Strike series since early 2021, it was the first time Rowling had acknowledged this publicly. Since the September revelation of this connection by the author and the appearance of the head of Persephone at the end of her Strike9 clues Christmas Charm bracelet, Strike fandom is now on board with the idea. Which on-boarding Nick and John celebrate with this Hearts and Flowers conversation, in which:* Nick reviews the Valentines Day events in the Strike series, the importance of which makes 14 February to Serious Strikers what Halloween is to Harry Potter fans;* John discusses the post American Bar office scene in Troubled Blood that let the cat out of the bag about the Cupid and Psyche myth just beneath the Strellacott romance;* Nick updates that with Rowling's PSAs and charm pointers to the Trials of Psyche in Robin's story;* John lays out how and where Hallmarked Man features Valentine Longcaster, the character with the Cupid name, and a Valentine's Day conflict with dogs to Guard the Gates of Hell (from charting Parts Five and Six);* Nick journeys back to Cuckoo's Calling and explains how Lula Landry's death and Robin's first meeting with Strike are twist on Cupid and Psyche with Venus, Psyche, and Cupid, Hephaestus, and Ares all with their equivalents in Charlotte, Robin, and Cormoran;* John ups the ante of the conversation by bringing in Edmund Spenser and C. S. Lewis, two writers Rowling loves, both of whom wrote stories that turn on Cupid and Psyche, and suggesting that Galbraith, in using the Eros-Anteros distinction of those writers in the Strike series is answering allegorically the core question of human life: whether to focus the soul on the ephemeral body and its desires or on the noetic faculty of soul, the Heart, logos within us;* Nick and John then discuss Robin and Strike's individual relationships Cuckoo to Hallmarked in light of Cupid-False Cupid and taking turns going through the Strike novels with a look at the principal murder victim and murderer and their respective relationships;* John shares the Jungian interpretation of Cupid and Psyche as the mythic representation of feminine actualization, the chrysalis of female identity;* And more!Below are the links to posts on this subject mentioned in their back and forth and to a translation of the original myth. Happy Valentines Day — and stand by for more discussion of Sleep Tight, Evangeline, the Psalter and Persephone Charms, and all things Strike and Mythology with Dimitra Fimi.Links Mentioned in the Valentines Day Celebration Conversation:Rowling Points to Myth of Cupid and Psyche in order to Console Strike Fans Disappointed with Hallmarked Man (8 September 2025, Nick Jeffery)Nick shares the context of Rowling's tweet (fan disappointment!) and the background information about the illustration she chose for it.The Most Pleasant and Delectable Tale of the Marriage of Cupid and Psyche (Apuleius)A translation of the Silver Age Latin tale from Apuleius' Golden Ass.A Mythological Key to Cormoran Strike? The Myth of Eros, Psyche, and Venus (22 April 2021, John Granger)The first post to discuss Rowling's use of this specific myth within Cormoran Strike, it is essential reading and comes in four parts:* a discussion of Rowling's stated beliefs about the soul and how it is the focus of her story-telling,* a review of her psychological artistry in Potter and the post Potter novels and screenplays,* a synopsis of the Eros and Psyche myth, and* a point to point look at the parallels in the story thus far with speculation about novels to come.Robin's Two Perfumes: The Meaning of Philosychos and Narciso (9 June 2021, John Granger)The names of Robin's baseline perfume, Philosychos, and the one she and Strike choose at story's end, Narciso, both point less to the bedroom than to Robin's allegorical, psychological, and mythological role as Psyche in the series.Erich Neumann in his Amor and Psyche: The Psychic Development of the Feminine describes this discipline as a “prohibition against pity” which “signifies Psyche's struggle against the feminine nature.” …Psyche's last trial involves her having to confront death, a “marriage” to which she was condemned as a sacrifice at the story's start, a meeting she can only survive by transcending her feminine qualities of nurturing and pity. She must become, if only temporarily, a narcissist to pass through Hades and return to the world of the Sun and to Cupid. The myth, in Jungian lights, is about her transcending the accidental self, here her feminine and sexual relation to Eros or Cupid, for “ego-stability” leading to “individuation,” ascent to the greater, immortal Self.Robin as resident psychologist and loving soul is the Psyche-cipher of the Strike mysteries. She differs from the relatively passive Human Beauty of the myth in her active and determined “struggle against the feminine nature,” her “What. I. Do!” She not only wrestles with her desires for domesticity and maternity in her thinking but stands up to Strike-Cupid in their Valentine's Day Street Fight and demands his respect or at least more considerate behavior. But she is still struggling with her difficulty to be the narcissist rather than the Great Mother when circumstances and her heroine's journey of psychological individuation demand that.Reading Rowling as Myth Maker and Myth Re-Writer: A Conversation with Dr Dimitra FimiNick Jeffery and John Granger converse with Dr Dimitra Fimi about Harry Potter, Cormoran Strike, Tolkien, Jane Eyre, and the Mythological Artistry of J. K. Rowling, Hogwarts Saga to Hallmarked ManThe Hallmarked Man's Mythological Template‘Cupid and Psyche's importance for grasping the depths of Strike 8, from the “necessity” of the Silver Vault and the three men in Robin's life, to spaghetti carbonara and ‘Maid of the Silver Sea'Ink Black Heart: The Mythic Backdrop (10 September 2022, John Granger)What Rowling is depicting in Robin's journey through the events and mystery of Ink Black Heart include a trap set by Venus, one that takes Robin to a personal and professional underworld or hell, her survival and endurance of every temptation by her determination to be steely rather than empathetic, especially with respect to a certain “lame fellow” (!), and her re-surfacing from hell a changed person, one worthy of begrudging Venereal approval (or Zeus' intervention — Rokeby!).Ink Black Heart: Strike as Zeus to Robin's Leda and Cupid to Mads' Psyche (10 November 2022, John Granger)These traditional portrayals of the every person's human and divine aspects, soul and spirit as man and woman in dynamic, cathartic relationship — think Romeo and Juliet, Redcrosse Knight and Una, Cupid and Psyche — are perhaps, with her alchemical symbolism, sequencing, and coloring, Rowling's greatest literary ‘reach' and achievement in the Strike series, albeit one largely lost on her her vast reading audience. The deliberate conjunction-melange of archetypal psychology, mythology, and spiritual allegory in these novels is, especially in combination with her hermetic artistry, intertextual playfulness (Aurora Leigh!), and chiastic structures, testimony to the author being one of the most accomplished and challenging writers of the age in addition to the most popular (and least well understood, even by her fans).Hallmarked Man: Freemasonry and J. K. Rowling (7 February 2024, Nick Jeffery)The Royal Arch degree is unique in England for including the ceremony of “Passing the Veils” symbolising the path to enlightenment that a mason undergoes as he progresses in the craft. Given Peter Rowling's upward social mobility from working class apprentice to engineer and moving from the Bristol suburbs to middle class Tutshill, it isn't beyond reason to wonder if Peter might have been tempted by the social and career advantages that freemasonry might have offered him and exposed a young Joanne to some of the symbolism.Edinburgh, as well as being the home of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, is also home to if not the oldest lodge in the world, then at least the one with the oldest records. Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) No. 1 has minutes of meetings from 31st July 1599. There have long been arguments between this Lodge and the one in Kilwinning on the other coast of Scotland as to which is the oldest. (see IVº of the Rite of Baldwyn above)J. K. Rowling's ‘G-Spot' and ‘Triple Play:' The Lake & Shed Secret of Her Success (21 September 2024, John Granger)I want to try tonight to explain as succinctly — and as provocatively — as possible why I think Rowling's ‘Lake and Shed' metaphorical explanation of how she writes offers a compelling reason for both why she writes and why readers around the world love her novels the way they do. I call this her ‘G-Spot' and ‘Triple Play' because it is her point of singular genius, the defining quality that separates her from contemporary story-tellers, which involves ‘Shed' artistry of three particular literary tools, all subliminal, which work together to achieve her aims.The Hallmarked Man's Flood of Names, Characters, and Plots (22 September 2025, John Granger)Rowling's seven Shed tools — psychomachia, literary alchemy, ring composition, misdirection towards defamiliarization, Christian symbolism, mythology, and inter-intratextuality (writing about reading and writing) — are all about the transformation of the human soul by cathartic experience in the imaginative heart, i.e., our spiritual reorientation. These traditional tools alone don't do it, of course; her capacity for creating archetypal characters that we care about in profound fashion is what gives the tools their grip on the heart.But, if a writer uses these tools in his or her Shed, the game being played and its stakes are not in question. Everything Rowling has written to date, with greater or lesser success (largely dependent on her control of the final product, cough*Warner Brothers*cough), shares this aim. Her global popularity testifies that much more often than not she hits her target to the delight of her readers.I assume this was her aim in Hallmarked Man. It's early days on the full exegesis of Strike8 in light of Rowling's Shed tools, Lake springs, and Golden Threads, but there are encouraging signs. My third reading of the book included my first ‘Aha!' moments with respect to the mythological template of the series, the Shed tool Rowling was openly urging her readers to think about in her recent Cupid and Psyche tweet.Jungian Interpretations of ‘Cupid and Psyche:'* Erich Neumann: Amor and Psyche: The Psychic Development of the Feminine (A Commentary on the Tale by Apuleius)* Paul Diel: Symbolism in Greek Mythology: Human Desire and Its Transformations (A “psychological study of the symbols condensed in the fate of the mythological hero”)* Robert A. Johnson: SHE: Understanding Feminine Psychology (An interpretation based on the myth of Amor and Psyche and based on Jungian mythological principles)* Marie-Louise von Franz: Golden Ass of Apuleius: The Liberation of the Feminine in Man (originally A Psychological Interpretation of The Golden Ass of Apuleius)‘Tamspells' Point to Point Correspondence List of Events in the Strike-Ellacott Novels and the Myth of Cupid and PsycheThe list ‘Tamspells' made will be Nick and John's starting point in their upcoming conversation with her about how to see the myth beneath the surface of the storyCupid and Psyche Myth Highlights to Look for in Your Review at Home of the Strike Series:* Jealousy of Venus* Psyche's Wedding/Funeral March to Mountain Crag* Psyche Rescued by Cupid, stuck with his own arrow* Retreat to Hidden Castle, Love in Darkness* The Two Sisters* The Confrontation with Lamp and Knife* Psyche's Return Home; Death of Sisters (Pan cameo)* Psyche's Search for Cupid/Venus: Ceres Interview* Brought to Venus (Worry and Sadness)* First Trial: Seeds and Grains (Ant)* Second Trial: Wool from Golden Sheep (Reed)* Third Trial: Crystal glass for Black Stygian water (Zeus, Eagle)* Persephone Odyssey: Box for Beauty (Tower instructions)* Barley Cakes for Cerberus and Two Coins for Charon* Must ignore: “a lame man driving a mule loaded with sticks, a dead man swimming in the river that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead, and old women weaving.”* Meal in Underworld with Persephone* Return Trip, Falling to Temptation* Cupid intervention; intersession and deal with Zeus* Olympian Court Date* Marriage of Cupid and Psyche post Ambrosia, birth of PleasureStrike Novel Victim Eros Anteros Murderer Eros Anteros Cuckoo's Calling Lula Landry Evan Duffield Marlene Higson,Yvette Bristow, Guy Some, Jonah Agyuman John Bristow Alison Creswell Yvette Bristow The Silkworm Owen Quine Kathryn Kent Leonora/Orlando Elizabeth Tassel Michael Fancourt Owen Quine? Career of Evil Kelsey Platt Rock Band Leader Ray Williams, (Hazel Furley) Donny Laing Rhona Bunyan, hostage women Agnes Waite Lethal White Jasper Chiswell Ornella Seraphin, Kinvara Patricia Fleetwood Raphael Chiswell Kinvara Hanratty Ornella Seraphin Troubled Blood Margot Bamborough Paul Satchwell Roy/Anna Phipps Una Janice Beattie Steven Douthwaite/Diamond Dead Mother Dennis Creed Louise Tucker Agnes Waite Ink Black Heart Edie Ledwell Philip Ormond? Joshua Blay, Grant Heather Ledwell Gus Upcott Anomie/Paperwhite, Vikas BhardwajMorehouse Katya Upcott The Running Grave Daiyu Wace, Kevin Pirbright (Jacob) Louise Pirbright Abigail Glover Patrick, Baz Jennifer Wace The Hallmarked Man Tyler Powell Anne-Marie Morgan Chloe Griffiths/Jolanda Lindvall Ian Griffith Jolanda/Sapphire Rita Lindvall? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Hermine Granger ist eine hochintelligente vierzehnjährige Hexe, die sich schulisch unterfordert fühlt. Mit Professor McGonagalls Hilfe gelangt sie an einen Zeitumkehrer, der es ihr ermöglicht, zeitgleich mehrere Fächer zu belegen. An Halloween geschieht jedoch ein Unglück und Hermine findet sich plötzlich zwanzig Jahre in der Vergangenheit wieder. Ihr erster Impuls ist Flucht aus dem Internat, doch Albus Dumbledore kann sie davon überzeugen, dass Hogwarts noch immer der sicherste Ort für sie ist, wenn sie nur eines beherzigt: dass Zeit möglichst nicht verändert werden darf. Hermine fügt sich in ihr Schicksal, nimmt sogar einen neuen Namen an. Doch kann sie tatenlos zusehen, wie ihre beste Freundin einem sicheren Tod entgegengeht, Seite an Seite mit einem zukünftigen Massenmörder leben oder ihre Gefühle für jemanden unterdrücken, der dunkler, geheimnisvoller und verhasster nicht sein könnte?

In this episode it's Jef's turn to choose and He decided on a flick that has been haunting him for many moons 1989's "Hider in the House".  While not categorized as a horror film, the premise of Gary Busey living in a hidden room in your attic is one of the most horrific things Jef, Josh and Brian could ever imagine. This movie delivers all the horror tropes you could ask for and also begs the question, is it possibly an off season sequel to Halloween? Meanwhile, the FM3 have long been worried about a Hider in the Scary Movie Research Center, there is plenty of candy, beers and Brian's sweatshirts to wear that a creep could live comfortably that is until the day he started popping up trying to convince Brian and Josh that Jef had another podcast he was cheating on them with. But before it was too late, Jef discovered his stash of old beans and playboy's in the supply closet and had to battle him to the death so he could keep Forever Midnight going. Whooo, That was a close one. 

On this week's episode, Rush is getting peculiar items in the mail too! Plus, Keith Richards' special Halloween recipe, DJ PreKay has a trippy "What Were They On" story, JD Ryan is on a new diet, Randy the Chipmunk loves scary movies, and much more.

 DownloadWelcome to LOTC Presents episode 466. This week we start with Black Glove Mysteries, GregaMortis and Ian Irza are finishing the Cauldron Films House Of Doom box set. The movies covered are Umberto Lenzi's The House Of Lost Souls and The House Of Witchcraft. We hope you will enjoy this review section. Lastly, Mortis Vision with the Mortis's is back and GregaMortis and The Twisted Temptress are looking at season 1 of The Outer Limits from 1995. This is a spoiler section of the episode, so you have been warned. Grab those favorite snacks and beverages as you journey with us through the Land Of The Creeps!!HELP KEEP HORROR ALIVE!!MOVIE REVIEWS1989 THE HOUSE OF LOST SOULSIAN : 6.5GREG : 71989 THE HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFTIAN : 8GREG : 7LINKS FOR DOUBLE DOUBLEGregaMortisFacebookTwitterLand Of The Creeps Group PageLand Of The Creeps Fan PageJay Of  The Dead's New Horror Movie PodcastYoutubeInstagramEmailLetterboxdTwisted Temptress LinkLetterboxdIAN IRZA LINKSBLOG SITEFACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAMLETTERBOXDLOTC Hotline Number1-804-569-56821-804-569-LOTCLOTC Intro is provided by Andy Ussery, Below are links to his social mediaEmail:FacebookTwitterLespecial FacebookLespecial Website

D'Amaro is Disney's new CEO, underscoring that Disney's future runs through physical experiences rather than linear media; we explain why this will benefit Halloween events.Also this week: Spooky Swap Meet Tickets on Sale; Runway Showcase at TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show; East Coast Haunters Convention Announces Haunt Tours; 3rd Annual Halfway to Halloween Festival Comes to Rancho Jurupa Park; Six Flags Restructures Season Passes Into Regional Tiers; Haunted Calgary Delivers Ghoulish Greetings for Valentine's Day. Read more here

IT'S TIME TO WATCH THE MUPPETS! This week we watched The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence. Distracted rants include but are not limited to snow, Seth Rogen, societal changes, Mount Rushmore, San Francisco, Halloween decorations, Wonder Showzen, and much more!"Nigel, Sam the Eagle, and hippie guitarist Floydprepare for a Pageant based on the Seven Deadly Sins, with Muppets representing the Sins -- Envy, Anger, Gluttony, Vanity, Lust, Avarice and Sloth."Follow us:tiktok.com/@ittwtmInstagram.com/ittwtm

The Outer Realm welcomes back Wayne Mallows for PT 2 of our Open Discussion on Wondrous Animal Kingdom Date: February 12th, 2026 EP: 680 TOPIC: This time Wayne and I get deeper into the amazing world of the Animal Kingdom. We will discuss, Spirit Animal Totems, Familiars, High Strangeness in Folklore, Superstitions, Ancient Tales Contact for the show - theouterrealmcontact@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/michelledesrochers_ Please support us by Liking, Subscribing, Sharing and Commenting. Thank you all !!! About Wayne: Wayne is the Author of the Vampyre Tales Series. He began writing when he was in grade school because he found it relaxed him, and helped him to “escape” the real world. As time went on, he was given the opportunity to teach a drama class at a local high school, to which he accepted and focused on the importance of stage presence and character building. This later led to a request that would change everything for him. He was asked to create a “believable” Vampire character, and not only did he comply, but his character went on to become his personal persona that would later thrive as the main character of the Vampyre Tales. His books have been taking vampire fans on a journey of their own, leaving a trail of rave reviews and one award thus far, and it's only the beginning. He was also the “head vampire” for one of Canada‘s largest theme parks, for the Halloween season several years running which attracted the attention of other organizations. He was hired as a consultant, to build their theatrical haunted houses for the and Screamers in Ottawa Ontario Canada, operated by the Kiwanis was the first, then went on to become a well-known Halloween hotspot . Being non for profit, other Kiwanis divisions throughout the country have since based their Halloween haunts on the Ottawa location, and the creativity behind the origins, have come from Wayne Mallows. Wayne owned a haunted Gothic Revival Manor House for over a decade, and is no Stranger to the Paranormal He has also appeared on paranormal television, with a few honourable mentions being Paranormal Survivor S3, Paranormal Night Shift, There's No Such Thing as Ghosts, Much Music, and more. WEBSITE: www.waynemallows.com

October 30, 2016Adam and Dr. Drew discuss their Halloween plans and past costumes. They also talk to a caller who was recently contacted by his ex-girlfriend. After the break, the guys welcome their old Loveline engineer Anderson Cowan who talks about crowd-funding his upcoming film, Groupers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happened in Bellaire, Ohio on September 30th, 1995, became a story known as “The Devil in Bellaire”, and it is a story of a troubled teenager who did the unimaginable. The massacre that took place at the hands of 17 year old Nathan Brooks shook the town, canceling Halloween and leaving the town changed to this day. Click here to join our Patreon.  Connect with us on Instagram and join our Facebook group.  To submit listener stories or case suggestions, and to see all sources for this episode: https://www.inhumanpodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week the JCW show crew talk to Tony Romo's father about how Tony is doing in practice, Randy the chipmunk gives a perspective on Halloween, an FBI agent drops some exclusive info on Hillary's e-mails and MUCH MUCH MORE!

On this weeks show, Bobbo locks himself in the studio, Tony Romo's father talks about Tony's Halloween experience, Randy the chipmunk tells us how elections work in the animal world and MUCH MUCH MORE!

Welcome back to the Billy and Lisa Morning Show. Today, we're talking about the craziest things people keep in their cars. From a blonde wig to a sword, we're diving into the weird and wonderful world of car storage. We've got a list of bizarre items people have reported finding in their vehicles, including a Sammy Sosa bobblehead, old Halloween decorations, and even a fake leg. But it's not just about what's in the car - it's about why people keep these things and what they might be used for. Join us as we explore the quirky side of car ownership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are live! And this time from Apogee Dispo in Sunland Park NM. Tune in as Juantito Jones makes his After Party debut and Tiara, a local up and coming nightlife promoter, her company TNS Productions and DJ tells us about some after party stories, her favorite after party she has been to plus! She answers some horny questions straight from instagram. Follow us on social media @AaronScenesAfterParty

"The Rockin 1000 is a project that started in Italy as gag to create a video of 1000 musicians playing Learn to Fly in order to get the Foo Fighters to come and put on a concert. It has since grown into full scale concerts across Europe. On January 31 the Rockin 1000 played their first concert in America, in New Orleans, and I was part of the band. Let me tell you the story."

Send a textJimmy and Cain sit down to watch the new horror film Whistle and put it to the ultimate test:

What could be more horrifying than having our Halloween episode in February? Follow us into a murderous corn maze in rural Wisconsin and find out, as we take a stab at Wayward Studios' forthcoming "Horror Cinema Classics" TTRPG.

This week on the Early Bird Special Weekly Recap: Sarah and Marchella discuss their thoughts on Dancing With the Stars. Leo and Jake talk about the best music genre, and Jacob and Sam talk all things Halloween. All this and more on the Early Bird Special Weekly Recap on Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM and also online at RowanRadio.com

The West Coast is still best when it comes to hoppy beers, and this episode provided to us by listener, Patreon supporter, and Californian Dave Adams has us considering the past and future of hops through a variety of IPA styles. Recorded back on Halloween in 2025, the only thing spooky about these five breweries' beers is just how quickly they decimate our sobriety. Also, Ryan's found a new hill to die on that involves Bruce Springsteen and jorts; Craig tries (and fails) to guess the number of locations each of these breweries operate; and we are inspired to establish Pellets & Cones Brewing (a subsidiary of Schwimmer Vintage Ales) - now hiring. Beers Reviewed Societe Brewing Company - The Coachman (Session IPA) Pure Project Brewing - Noc-Turtle (Murky IPA) North Park Beer Company - Stratacadabra (West Coast IPA) Pizza Port Brewing Company - Mongo (Double IPA) Duck Foot Brewing - Duckzilla (White Double IPA)  

Bienvenidos, Duckies! What a WEEK it's been waiting for the Benito Bowl! Ever since Bad Bunny was announced as the Super Bowl LX halftime headliner — the first primarily Spanish-language artist to take the stage — we've been on our toes with excitement, questions, and hot takes! In this episode, your favorite hosts dive into…

A big thank-you to William again for this fantastic artwork!

HOSTS:Kurt Taylor Steve —————————- Tremble is a horror podcast that cuts through hype to figure out what actually works, whether a movie is trying to scare you, make you laugh, or do both at once. On this episode, the Tremble crew puts on the glasses and revisits My Bloody Valentine 3D from 2009, a remake […]

¡Por segunda ocasión nos acompaña en el foro de Noche de Chicxs nuestra adorada y admirada Melissa Ortega para echar mucho chismecito sabroso y candente!

Send a textThis week tree conservation takes a twisted turn for the worse in David Longhorn's story, “Old Growth.”  A young man wants to help preserve a growth of old oaks from a construction company, but his involvement goes a bit farther than he planned. Oak trees have been considered sacred for thousands of years. We'll take a look at where and why.MusicFesliyan Studios: "Ghost," "Halloween" "Scary Music"Arkadiusz Reikowski: "Limbo"Narration: Robert BreaultPlease join us! Like and follow our Facebook page to become " patron of the Cemetery Hills Library, or (even better!)  jump on our Patreon page and become a VIP Patron.                         Mugs, tee-shirts and eternal thanks await you!                                                                  Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=61177769&fan_landing=trueWebpage: http://www.afterwordsparanormal.comFacebook: After Words Paranormal Podcast

This week the lads are pondering the benefits of taking on a bit of fixer upper when dating; the return on investment is tenfold, girls! They also discuss PJ's grooming habits, and Kevin sings “boots, that's my ego boost” approximately 704 times. Then for the theme, the boys are covering something near and dear to their hearts: the TV talent show. They reminisce on everything from Cher Lloyd's iconic Halloween cover of Stay, to Ireland's best talent show, You're A Star. They also make some pretty big claims, including that Girls Aloud's discography is better than the Spice Girls. Fight amongst yourselves in the comments, girlies. Purchase Happy Campers Tour Tickets here

Oh man, what a week of news and updates we have in store for all our amazing listeners! Join Nick and Anas as they discuss:- Disney+ Wonder Man full review!- Hawkgirl confirmed for Man of Tomorrow movie and what this means for the DCU!- Clayface is now a Halloween film with a new release date!- Alex Ross launches a new Marvel original graphic novel!- Will Robert Downey Jr. play Iron Man after Secret Wars?- Absolute Batman #1 get an 11th reprint!!- MUCH MORE!!

Send a textWe track a week of big swings across comics, film, games, and TV: DC reschedules Clayface for Halloween, Alex Ross unveils an experimental Marvel project, and Disney names Josh D'Amaro CEO with Dana Walden as President and CCO. We share registry-worthy films, a MST3K reunion, and a heartfelt tribute to Catherine O'Hara.• DC reshuffles dates for Practical Magic 2 and Clayface • Why a Halloween slot fits Clayface's horror tone • Alex Ross reveals Marvel Dimensions with format-shifting art • Switch 2 rumor mill and notable third-party titles • Disney succession: Josh D'Amaro to CEO, Dana Walden to President and CCO • HBO's Harry Potter series narrows to early 2027 window • National Film Registry adds modern and classic standouts • MST3K returns with the RiffTrax team and practical sets • Spielberg completes the EGOT and industry milestones • Daniel Stern case update and resolution • Remembering Catherine O'Hara's legacy across comedy and genreIf you've gotten some value out of the show and would like to pay it back, please head on over to multiverstonight.com, where you can find our Patreon and Kofi links, check our show notes, visit our T Public store, leave us some feedback and so much moreSupport the showThanks for listening! Come visit the podcast at https://www.multiversetonight.com/

In this episode, we look at how the classic black & white Universal movie monsters tap into universal fears, and how you can use that to create compelling villains in your book. This coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Shield of the Knight, Book #2 in the Dragonskull series, (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) at my Payhip store: GARETH50 The coupon code is valid through February 16, 2026. So if you need a new audiobook this winter, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 289 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is February 6, 2026, and today we are discussing how you can use the Universal monsters to write interesting villains. Before we get into that, we will have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing and publishing projects. First up is Coupon of the Week and this week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Shield of the Knight, Book #2 of my Dragonskull series (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills), at my Payhip store. And that code is GARETH50. And as always, the coupon code and the link to my Payhip store will be available in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through February 16th, 2026, so if you need a new audiobook to get you through the middle of February, we have got you covered. Now let's see where I'm at with my current writing and publishing projects. As of this recording, I am 63,000 words into Cloak of Summoning and I am almost but not quite halfway through my outline. So this is definitely going to be a long book and it's probably going to come out in the first part of March because it's long enough that it will take me a while to finish writing it and then to edit and proof it and everything else. So I'm making good progress on it. It was a very productive week, but I am still not even halfway through, so I think it's probably going to be March. I am also 5,000 words into Blade of Wraiths. That will be the fourth book of my epic fantasy Blades of Ruin series, and that will probably be in April, if all goes well. In audiobook news, Blade of Shadows (as narrated by Brad Wills) is done and it is slowly starting to roll out to the various platforms. I think as of this recording, the only place it is live right now is my Payhip store and Google Play, but hopefully by the time I record the next episode, it will be available at even more stores than that. Hollis McCarthy is working on Cloak of Titans and I think she's about halfway or two thirds of the way through recording, so we should be able to get that to you before too much longer. So that is where I'm at with my current writing and publishing and audiobook projects. 00:02:13 Main Topic: Universal Monsters, Universal Fears, and Creating Villains Now our main topic, which is the Universal monsters and the universal fears and how you can use that to create villains. One idea a writer can use to create compelling villains is to tap into some of the universal fears, and in some ways, those universal fears are embodied by the classic Universal monster movies. I mentioned before that in Halloween of 2025, I saw that a bunch of the old black and white Universal monster movies were on Prime Video. So I watched them for the first time since I was a kid, and I was pleased to see that they held up pretty well for movies that are nearly a century old, especially considering these were some of the very first movies ever made with sound and the filmmakers were kind of figuring it out as they went along. Dracula is a bit uneven because they tried to cram the stage play version of the book into a 70 minute movie, which really doesn't work, though Bela Lugosi's performance as Dracula and Edward Van Sloan as Van Helsing really carried the movie and helped define the characters in the public eye, but the others are all good and Bride of Frankenstein is legitimately a great movie, but why have these particular movies lasted so long in the public consciousness? For that matter, why do people keep coming back to new versions and new stories of Dracula and Frankenstein's Creature and all the others? Partly it's because these characters are in the public domain and you can use them without getting sued. True, but there's a lot of stuff in the public domain that doesn't see the light of day nearly as often as these classic monsters. I think it's because the classic monsters tap into the universal (small U) fears or classic archetypes of the things that people fear in real life. It's interesting to note that most of the classic Universal monsters were either originally humans who became monstrous or creations by humans that turn monstrous. Essentially, the monsters tap into archetypal fears and are exaggerated versions of villains and monsters we might actually encounter on a day-to-day basis. What do I mean? Let's expound. First up, Dracula. Count Dracula is in some ways the easiest metaphor to explain. He's an aristocratic vampire that feeds upon people and gives them nothing but evil in return. Perhaps he will pass on his own immortality to some of his victims, but it's a cursed and hellish form of immortality and any vampires that he creates are essentially his slaves, sometimes his mindless slaves. Dracula is the fear of the Evil Elite. This of course, takes many different forms in the modern era, but it is very much alive and well. The various conspiracy theories that the elite of society might be devil worshippers or engaged in sinister cults are definitely Dracula adjacent (and based on recent news reports, it indeed appears at least some of these conspiracy theories turned out to be accurate). More prosaically, "rent seeking behavior" is often characterized as vampirism. Rent seeking behavior is defined as finding ways to extract profit without adding value by manipulating the legal or regulatory environment. The landlord who raises rent by $500 a month for no reason. A software developer who reduces features while raising the subscription price or a financier who manipulates the regulations for an industry while investing in it are good examples of rent seeking behavior that is metaphorically vampiric. For that matter, it can be downright mundane. The middle manager who bullies his employees and then takes all the credit for their work is a very boring and unpleasant, but nonetheless, an all too common example of the vampire metaphor in real life. Frankenstein's monster is a much easier metaphor to explain now than it would've been before ChatGPT went mainstream. There is always a fear that we will be destroyed by the works of our own hands, especially in the last a hundred years since the creation of nuclear technology and gene editing. Probably most famous examples of that in science fiction are The Terminator and The Matrix movies series. However, these days the metaphor for Frankenstein's monster is almost ridiculously easy. We have generative AI to fulfill the metaphor of Frankenstein's monster for us. Karl Marx famously said that history repeats twice, the first time as tragedy, the second as farce. Nuclear weapons as a metaphor for Frankenstein's monster was a tragedy but generative AI is a farce. The tech bros sold it as this omniscient mind that could solve all problems and eliminate all jobs. What we've actually gotten is an imbecilic chatbot that makes a lot of mistakes, can't remember anything, can't actually do anything right, inflicts widespread damage to the economy, drives up electricity costs, and makes existing products like Windows 11 and Google search much worse. It's like as if Frankenstein's monster was really, really stupid and wanted you to add glue to your pizza to keep the cheese from sliding off. The Wolf Man, of course, is a metaphor for the potentially bestial nature of man. We all know, of course, or are eventually forced to learn that human beings have a dark side that can come out in times of anger and stress. Civilization is sometimes a thin veneer over the animalistic side of humans. Sometimes the veneer grows even thinner and the dark side comes raging out in riots and wars and mass slaughter. For Larry Talbot, the original Wolf Man in the movie, his situation is even more terrifying. He's a rational man who believes in science and psychology and doesn't believe in things like werewolves. Yet when he is bitten, he nonetheless loses control and transforms into the Wolf Man. He doesn't want to transform and attack people, but he has lost control of himself to the werewolf curse, and so he does. In a sense, all humans are werewolves in that we have a monstrous side that can come out under the right or the wrong conditions. The worst of us embrace that fact, just as in medieval legends, sometimes people would make pacts with the devil to become werewolves. The Invisible Man was originally a science fiction story, which means that the Invisible Man represents a new fear created by science. "Transhumanism" is an idea that eventually humans will merge with machines and evolve and become something new. Naturally, many people think this is a bad idea, and so a new idea has emerged: "posthumans" or humans that have been so modified by science that they are no longer recognizably human. So far, this has remained mostly science fiction, but you can see the glimmers of it beginning in biology and medical science. There's a reason performance enhancing drugs are banned in most sports. Genetic engineering opens up the possibility that corporations could create their own custom humans, essentially their own posthumans. The possibilities for abuse in such situations are sadly endless. So the Invisible Man, like Frankenstein's Creature, taps into the fear of science or more accurately the fear of what horrors science might create. On the surface, the Creature from the Black Lagoon is a monster story about a creature that carries off a pretty girl. I think it taps into a deeper fear, however, namely that the world is older and stranger and more alien and incomprehensible than we can possibly know. Like hardcore creationists say that the earth is 6,000 years old or so, and the traditional scientific view is that the earth has been around for four and a half billion years or so, and both groups have detailed charts explaining why their theories are correct, but what if they're both wrong? Oceanographers say that we don't fully understand the oceans. And a common theory among UFO people is that UFOs emerged from hidden bases at the bottom of the ocean, inaccessible by any human. There are other theories that there have been entire civilizations such as Atlantis that have vanished without a trace and were more advanced than our own, or that all of human civilization is a cycle that constantly destroys itself and restarts without a memory of its previous failures, or that aliens have influenced and controlled human history or that aliens created the earth and this is all some sort of elaborate science experiment. Of course, all these theories are likely bunk. Probably. I think it is true to say that not only is the world stranger than we know, it is stranger than the human mind is actually capable of comprehending. And depending on how far that goes, that could be a terrifying thought. So the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the idea that some race of fishmen lurks beneath the waves that we don't know about, taps into that fear. Like The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Mummy on the surface is another story about the monster who wants the girl since Imhotep waits 3,000 years for his love to be reincarnated. But I think this taps into a deeper fear, namely that we can't escape history, that no matter what we do or how hard we try, history will catch up to us (whether our own personal history or national history). Political philosopher Francis Fukuyama famously wrote a book called The End of History and The Last Man in 1992, arguing that with the collapse of Communism, liberal democracy was the final form of government achieved by mankind and it would have no serious competitors in the future. This was a nice dream, but I think it's fair to say that the last 34 years since 1992 have proven that thesis profoundly wrong. History is definitely not over and in every domestic or international political crisis of the last 34 years, you can trace its roots back for decades or even centuries. It took 3,000 years for the dead hand of Imhotep to affect the present, but it usually doesn't take nearly that long for history to have negative effects in the present world. The Phantom of the Opera is considered one of the Universal monsters, but I don't think he really taps into a deeper fear, maybe just to be wary of a creepy guy who lives in a theater basement and is unhealthily obsessed with the leading actress. Honestly, that just seems like good common sense. Maybe poor Christine Daae just needs some pepper spray or a good solid shotgun. In conclusion, I think each of these Universal monsters remains popular because they tap into a deeper, more profound fear. So if you're a writer looking to create a memorable villain, you could do worse than to follow those universal fears. You don't even explicitly have to write horror, science fiction, or fantasy to do it. In a mystery novel, you could have a Dracula type villain in the form of a slumlord who traps his tenants with restrictive lease agreements to bleed them dry financially or an Invisible Man villain in the form of a scientist who is illegally injecting college athletes with an experimental drug without their knowledge. The Wolf Man appears quite often in detective and thriller fiction as a serial killer or some other kind of violent criminal. Naturally we cannot escape history, so the Mummy can appear as a conflict that had its roots in events that happened decades ago. Of course, the range for universal fear villains in science fiction and fantasy is much greater. Then you don't even have to be metaphorical. So hopefully this look at the Universal monsters and the universal fears they tap into will give you some good tips and ideas for writing villains in your book. So that's it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes in https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.  

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Here is your Daily Disney News for Sunday, February 8, 2026 - Magic Kingdom in Florida to welcome a new "Encanto" attraction, bringing the Madrigal family's magic to life. - Disneyland's Haunted Mansion in California gets a makeover with new ghostly characters for Halloween. - Disney+ launching a new series based on "The Rocketeer," featuring a young hero and thrilling jetpack adventures. - Disney Parks worldwide preparing for Valentine's Day with themed decor, dining options, and exclusive merchandise. Have a magical day and tune in again tomorrow for more updates.

Punch Mountain is making a list and checking it for revenge with KILL BILL: VOLUME 1. Mac and David discuss hot needle drops, easy Halloween costumes, and fetishes shoved on the public before revealing KILL BILL: VOL. 1's place on the definitive ranking of action movies.

Dana grew up in a complicated household where conflict was common and emotions were rarely resolved cleanly. After a heated argument on Halloween night, she had a vivid dream that felt unsettling but unclear. By the following day, reality caught up in a way she never expected.What followed were moments that didn't feel random — experiences that unfolded first in dreams and later in waking life. Some carried guilt, others brought unexpected calm. Years later, small, familiar disturbances began occurring in her home, subtle enough to dismiss — if they weren't so specific.This is a story about timing, unresolved relationships, and the possibility that some connections don't end abruptly. Sometimes they soften. Sometimes they linger. And sometimes they return just long enough to feel recognized.#RealGhostStoriesOnline #PremonitionDream #AfterDeathVisitation #ParanormalDreams #SignsFromBeyond #ListenerStory #LifeAfterDeath #SpiritualEncounters #TrueParanormal #DreamWarningsLove real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

Dana grew up in a complicated household where conflict was common and emotions were rarely resolved cleanly. After a heated argument on Halloween night, she had a vivid dream that felt unsettling but unclear. By the following day, reality caught up in a way she never expected.What followed were moments that didn't feel random — experiences that unfolded first in dreams and later in waking life. Some carried guilt, others brought unexpected calm. Years later, small, familiar disturbances began occurring in her home, subtle enough to dismiss — if they weren't so specific.This is a story about timing, unresolved relationships, and the possibility that some connections don't end abruptly. Sometimes they soften. Sometimes they linger. And sometimes they return just long enough to feel recognized.#RealGhostStoriesOnline #PremonitionDream #AfterDeathVisitation #ParanormalDreams #SignsFromBeyond #ListenerStory #LifeAfterDeath #SpiritualEncounters #TrueParanormal #DreamWarningsLove real ghost stories? Want even more? Become a supporter and unlock exclusive extras, ad-free episodes, and advanced access:

In this bonus episode, Greg shares a track from the scariest artist he's ever covered as a journalist.Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnGMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lUSend us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundopsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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