Podcasts about Macabre

Look for this podcast on YouTube Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and numerous other podcast apps. Get the full list of options here: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/OTR“Tomorrow Cloudy and Cold” | A young drifter with no past and no roots agrees to become a scientist's paid test subject — never suspecting that the experiments would unleash something inside him that could destroy everything he's finally found worth living for. | #RetroRadio #WeirdDarkness | EP0606CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Tomorrow Cloudy and Cold” (June 21, 1977)00:47:19.830 = House of Mystery, “The Ghost Who Forgot Halloween” (October 27, 1945) ***WD01:18:41.340 = Incredible But True, “The Monk of Sawtooth Mountain” (1950-1951)01:22:25.836 = Inner Sanctum, “Terrible Vengeance” | Australian Version | June 14, 1942)01:47:38.378 = The Key, “Window Cleaner” (1956) ***WD02:13:22.851 = Lights Out, “Organ” (May 12, 1937) ***WD02:43:12.734 = Lux Radio Theater, “The Return of Peter Grimm” (February 13, 1939)03:44:55.800 = Macabre, “Weekend” (November 20, 1961) ***WD04:12:15.506 = Philip Marlowe, “Birds On Wing” (November 26, 1949)04:41:37.413 = The Black Mass, “Outsider” (November 20, 1968) ***WD05:03:45.726 = Show Close(ADU) = Air Date Unknown(LQ) = Low Quality***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy."I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0606

Self-proclaimed doctor Linda Hazzard believed starvation could cure disease. In the early 1900s, patients traveled to her Washington sanitarium known as Starvation Heights, where many were subjected to brutal fasting treatments that left them weak, skeletal, and sometimes dead. Join Halley and Blaire as they travel back in time, when medical treatments were deadlier than the disease. Loving MACABRE?If you think we've earned your 5 star review…we would “spoop” our pants if you share your raving review on your favorite podcast platform Want More? Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

SuspenseInner Sanctum

A newlywed couple's honeymoon takes a terrifying turn when Roger agrees to be hypnotized and buried alive for $500 — only to discover the carnival showman who put him there is actually an escaped homicidal maniac with no intention of digging him up. | #RetroRadio #WeirdDarkness | EP0598CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Blood Red Wine” (June 06, 1977)00:46:18.820 = Macabre, “Final Resting Place” (November 13, 1961) ***WD01:13:50.475 = Philip Marlowe, “Fine Italian Hand” (November 05, 1949)01:43:15.804 = Let George Do It, “Graystone Ghost” (March 24, 1952)02:13:14.277 = The Black Mass, “Diary of a Madman” (December 16, 1964) ***WD02:52:32.936 = Beyond Midnight, “Don't Joke In a Morgue” (1968-1970) ***WD03:20:58.240 = MindWebs, “The End” (March 05, 1983)03:47:19.490 = Starlight Theater, “Man Hires Hit Man To Kill Him” (ADU) ***WD04:14:59.546 = Mystery In The Air, “The Marvelous Barastro” (August 07, 1947)04:44:15.424 = Show Close(ADU) = Air Date Unknown(LQ) = Low Quality***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music LibraryABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.= = = = =CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0598

Royalty, ego, and historical humiliation. Today on MACABRE, Henry VIII and Louis XIV face the ultimate punishment… Blaire and Halley are at it again, with a new installment of Roasting History on MACABRE.Loving MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

Award-winning, bestselling author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying. Proud of her heritage, she is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Special Guest Co-Host Heather Tabers Today we have someone special joining us. Since Darcy was unable to join for this recording, our friend Heather Tabers stepped in to cohost with KyLee. Heather writes Historical Romance and Children's Fiction, and she also hosts The Hope-Filled Romantic—a podcast where faith and fiction meet real-life love stories. And now for the interview with Laura Frantz, discussing her latest novel, The Belle of Chatham. (pronounced “chat-um”) Is there a word or goal that's inspiring you in this chapter of life? Laura: You hit it on the head when you opened and said, “How do we pursue God through our writing?” I’m eighteen novels in now, and my pursuit for the Lord is stronger than it was even with my debut novel back in 2009. I just want to honor him with a gift. He gave the writing gift–it wasn’t one I asked for or really wanted, but it was a sign to me. We’re here to bless and minister to others, and I think the written word does that. So my desire is just to press on. Life is often a spiritual fight, and I just want to finish well.   We don’t know how much time we have. I’m old enough to remember the nation's bicentennial, which was 1976 and now we’re at 2026. So this is a huge milestone, historically for us as a nation, and personally. Whatever time I have left, hopefully it’s many more years and many more books, I want to pursue God with everything that is in me and try to honor him with every story I write. Read more: Episode 122: The American Revolution and Family Bonds with Laura Frantz KyLee: Wow, I admire that. Just to press on, to move forward–whatever’s in front of you, whatever comes your way–just to keep moving towards God. And you’re speaking specifically towards the books you're writing, but really that’s applicable to every area of our life, as parents, and spouses, and at work, and everywhere we go. And when I think about pressing on with God, I picture that light in front of us, guiding us. What is one book that you read last year that really stuck with you and why? Laura: You know, I read a lot of historical fiction, mostly for research, but one thing I’ve gotten invested in is a 24-book series in the general market – Anne Perry’s William Monk Victorian Mysteries. And there’s a reason I invested in that. My book that releases next January is set in London. I wanted to see how another author, even in a different time period, handled that same setting along the River Thames, and with the police force at that time. So I thought, “Oh, I’ll just read one book.” But there’s a reason Anne Perry is so wildly popular and prolific. She has some of the smartest writing I’ve ever read. So the William Monk series is clean, although a little bit bloody or gruesome at times, but so eye-opening into Victorian England. Do you have a favorite historical figure who inspires you? Laura: George Washington and also Daniel Boone. Men who were both totally intrepid and stalwart. George Washington didn’t know that he’d be on our currency now, or we’d name our capital after him. He had no idea he was the great “George Washington.” And Daniel Boone plays a big part in my heritage. I'm from Kentucky, and recently, I read a document that listed my ancestor as coming into Kentucky with Boone in the latter 18th century. And also George Humes, my ancestor, is credited with teaching surveying to the very young Washington from 1748 to 1750 in Virginia. So to see how the Lord has allowed me to write so close to my ancestry is such a beautiful thing to me. I don’t understand it, but just seeing my people come alive in history, and with such an amazing godly historical figure like Boone, is truly amazing. This crazy woman in the 21st century is writing about these amazing historical figures, and there’s actually a link. Only God could have done that. Heather: My family is the McFeeders family, and we came from the Hume Clan, so I have to believe that we’re cousins somehow. Laura: Long-lost cousins! I love it! KyLee: You never know what you’ll find when you start digging into your genealogy. I have chills just hearing you found out that one of your ancestors came over with Daniel Boone. Digging back and finding out where your people come from is very exciting. And is there anything especially interesting that you haven’t covered in other interviews that you could share with us? Laura: Years ago I decided that in 2026 my hope was to write a book honoring our country and our founders. Because I’m very proud to be American. The Lord said He sets us in the times, the seasons, and the places where we’re supposed to be. And to be an American is certainly a privilege, and He’s blessed this country so much in the past, since our founding. So, like I said earlier, I want to press on in the spirit of 1776 and continue carrying that forward and honoring Him. Our nation is great because it was based on godly principles. That’s why I’m proud to be an American, and hopefully that shines through The Belle of Chatham‘s pages. In 1777, caught in the crossroads of the American Revolution, sisters Maebel and Coralie Bohannon's quaint New Jersey village becomes a battleground as they house American officers in their home. Rebellion ripples through their family as members take opposing sides–Patriots and Loyalists–causing a deep chasm that fractures their once-unbreakable bond. As Mae's friendship grows with the American general Rhys Harlow, Coralie continues her liaison with her childhood sweetheart, a British officer stationed in New York. Torn between her growing love for the general and suspicion that her sister is a British spy, Mae leaves the only home she's ever known for the New York frontier. When betrayal strikes in the heart of the wilderness, she's forced to take a perilous journey that tests her very survival and those she loves, all in the name of liberty. Can you tell us a little more about Maebel and Coralie (and their love interests)? Laura: I don't have a sister; I have a younger brother. So it's fun to create these fictional sisters. In The Indigo Heiress, the bond between my heroine and her sister was extremely tight. That's not the case in The Belle of Chatham. You have two very different women, almost the same age, who are nothing alike—different in looks, personality, loyalties. And their love interests are very different. Mae is in love with a rifleman, who's from a very different world than herself, and her sister Coralie is infatuated with a British soldier. Which is indicative of where their loyalties lie, Mae with the Patriots, Coralie with the British. I tried to make it as true to history as possible. Not everyone is close to their sisters, so I wanted to bring that out. How wartime issues can fracture and fray that already-strained relationship. KyLee: That’s so like real life. As we traverse those long-term relationships, it's not always easy. I think sibling relationships are special because you start out so young and go through so many seasons together. I hope that, in the end, Mae and Coralie can find something in common. I have three sisters, and I'm very close with one. With a couple of my little sisters, we've had moments where our differences created distance. Now, when I look back over the seasons, I see things she does very differently from me, and I value them. I've learned from her and her very different approach to things. Laura: A beautiful, open-hearted concept. And that bears pondering: “How would Jesus love this person that’s different than me, or that I really want to condemn or distance myself from?” Jesus says we’re to love them anyway, leaning heavily on Jesus to do it. I don't know that Mae, in this novel, does that well. She tries. It takes practice, right? And Coralie makes it very interesting. And it’s relatable to today. We might not be in a war, but we definitely have different political opinions in our nation right now, stronger than they have been in a while. It’s not uncommon to see siblings falling on either side of the aisle. One thing that grieves me very much, that is even mirrored in this novel, is how people cease to talk to each other. There’s just no relationship anymore. And that’s heartbreaking. That’s a wound that too easily festers. If we have to be the one that breaks down that wall, in Jesus’ name, to ask for His help and an opportunity to do that, I believe He’ll give it. Just because you're distant from loved ones, that doesn’t mean it’s forever. Ask the Lord to help you mend that relationship, even if you have to make the first move. KyLee: Absolutely. Something I keep seeing, that really hurts my heart, is when people are so upset by things that are disturbing, and there’s a sense of powerlessness. And I've found myself saying to other adults what I've said to my children for years: Look at your circle. You start small, and it gets bigger. Siblings, spouse, children, friends, church, community, work, and it moves out from there. Pray for the big things, that's important, and if you are one of those people who has an opportunity to go to a far-away place and make an impact in that circle, do it. But don't let what's so far away from you distract in the circle where God has placed you. Be present where you're at, and you can make a difference. You can be loving, you can be understanding, you can have respectful conversations, and trust God and encourage other people to trust God. Heather: That’s such a good word, KyLee. So many times, my heart is so burdened by everything I see on the news. And my husband is faithful to remind me, “Heather, you’re not supposed to know every person that died in North Carolina and California.” People have suffered atrocities all around the world forever. But it wasn’t until recently that we’ve had the technology to know every single one of them, sometimes in real time. And he’s like, “You’re just not supposed to know all these things.” So I love that you tell people to focus on their circles. I can’t go help everyone, but I can help the people next to me. KyLee: And every generation has its own burden to bear. God knew that you would be born in this generation with this technology, and He’s equipped you like He’s equipped me. Laura: I recently heard an author say, “We're not meant to be omniscient. That's God's job.” Social media and the internet have us almost omniscient, so to speak, in a human perspective. We have access to everything around the world. And I kept hearing him say, “God doesn't mean for us to be omniscient because it's very burdensome.” I thought that was a really interesting point. What's next for your writing? Laura: Right now is a busy, busy season! I just handed in a 400-page novel set in 1798 London, releasing January of next year. I'm also halfway through a Christmas novella that will be releasing September of 2027, but it's due this fall. And then I'm beginning another novel set in Colonial America 1733, a totally new setting. So that has me quite busy. I will also be traveling to England next January. And then in 2027, I'm leading a tour of some historic sites in the United States. I've done England and Scotland, and had a wonderful time with readers. So I'm excited to do a stateside trip this time, and I hope readers can join me. If you head to my website, LauraFrantz.net, and sign up for my newsletter, about halfway down the home page, you'll get the tour news and details, as well as book updates. I work hard on my newsletters and try to keep them fun and fresh and interesting. And where else can readers connect with you? I’m very active on my Facebook author page, and on Instagram. I post every couple days or so on X, but I'm not very active. But most of my followers, interestingly enough, are on Pinterest. And, I just love my readers. How ever they want to come–through my newsletter or my website or socials–is always welcome to me, a delight. BOOKWORM REVIEW The Mistress of the Macabre has penned another five-star stunner!  “Night Falls on Predicament Avenue” features Jaime Jo Wright's signature blend of atmospheric prose, eerie suspense, and spiritual depth. Black as a mourning veil, this literary cuppa is enriched by the aromatic earthiness of a forgotten graveyard and contrasted with a honeyed note of hope—warm and bright as a candle's flame, flickering amid shadows.  The authentic characters of Effie and Norah will make readers feel seen and heard, especially those who suffer with anxiety, and the absorbing plot will keep readers turning pages into the wee hours, eager to navigate the mystery's winding paths of intrigue. The final plot twist ripped a gasp straight from my chest. A literal, audible, GASP! Good gracious, was I well and properly gobsmacked! Wright has truly outdone herself with this haunting tale's jaw-dropping, mind-reeling, gut-punching conclusion. If you're a fan of true crime podcasts and gothic fiction, be sure to visit Predicament Avenue . . . preferably, before night falls! Read more about Jaime at her website. (www.jaimewrightbooks.com)~ Angela Bell, author of A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure If you enjoyed this episode, we hope you'll subscribe for more on your favorite listening platform, and join our newsletter (see the sidebar). Don't forget to share it with a fellow historical fiction reader! And if you really enjoyed this episode and would like to support, you can always buy us a coffee. Thanks again for joining us for this episode of the Historical Bookworm Show! Join the conversation in the comments, and be sure to connect with Laura Frantz, and our special guest Heather Tabers. If you really enjoyed the show, you can always Buy Us a Coffee. Until next time, KyLee and Darcy

Welcome to the blood red carpet as we share our choices for the best of 2025 within 13 curated categories. The Letterboxd List

Sarah and Susie are participating in an unconventional macabre game when they predict which celebrities will die this year, but Sarah argues it's a "celebration of life." We debate the Tourette's Syndrome scandal at the BAFTAs and consider what the appropriate way to handle it was. Susie shares a story of a woman who's AI chatbot started claiming she would meet her soulmate at a particular time and place, and, spoiler alert, she didn't, but now she's raising alarm bells about the persuasive nature of AI and LLMs. We discuss the Olympic skater known as the Quad God and his disappointing performance in Madrid, and we learn the science of "choking" when put under pressure and techniques to help prevent the "yips," or choking when stressed. Susie describes The Queen of Chess documentary, the sexism in the sport, the little girl who beat Bobby Fisher's 30-year record, and why grown men are petrified of losing to a girl.Brain Candy Podcast Website - https://thebraincandypodcast.com/Brain Candy Podcast Book Recommendations - https://thebraincandypodcast.com/books/Brain Candy Podcast Merchandise - https://thebraincandypodcast.com/candy-store/Brain Candy Podcast Candy Club - https://thebraincandypodcast.com/product/candy-club/Brain Candy Podcast Sponsor Codes - https://thebraincandypodcast.com/support-us/Brain Candy Podcast Social Media & Platforms:Brain Candy Podcast LIVE Interactive Trivia Nights - https://www.youtube.com/@BrainCandyPodcast/streamsBrain Candy Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braincandypodcastHost Susie Meister Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiemeisterHost Sarah Rice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsarahriceBrain Candy Podcast on X: https://www.x.com/braincandypodBrain Candy Podcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/braincandy (JOIN FREE - TONS OF REALITY TV CONTENT)Brain Candy Podcast Sponsors, partnerships, & Products that we love:Get $30 off your first box - PLUS free Croissants for life - when you go to https://wildgrain.com/braincandy to start your subscription today!This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. Sign up and get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/braincandyGo to https://thrivecausemetics.com/braincandy for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Watch all of our Epstein videos here:    • Epstein  Watch all of our Hamamoto videos here:    • Professor Hamamoto  Hamamoto on YouTube:    / @professorhamamoto  Prof. Darrell Hamamoto, who is an American writer, academic, and specialist in U.S. media and ethnic studies.Professors Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/share/hZajgC...UNTOUCHABLE - Jimmy Savile documentary    • UNTOUCHABLE - Jimmy Savile documentary by ...  ADOPTED KID'S CA HORROR STORY & BOYS TOWN! PASTOR Eddie https://youtube.com/live/vD3SGWpnfyMWatch Used By ELITES From Age 6 - Survivor Kelly Patterson https://youtube.com/live/nkKkIfLkRx0KELLY'S 2 HOUR VIDEO ON VIRGINIA    • Video  BOOK LINKS: Who Killed Epstein? Prince Andrew or Bill Clinton by Shaun Attwood UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B093QK1GS1 USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093QK1GS1 Worldwide: https://books2read.com/u/bQjGQD All of Shaun's books on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Shaun...All of Shaun's books on Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Shaun-A...Follow P Diddys latest:   • P Diddy  #jayz #beyonce #hollywood #countrymusic #nashville #pdiddy #puffdaddy #truecrime #news #youtubenews #podcast #livestream #youtube #thepope #vatican #church Here are Hamamoto's recommended books:Can't Stop Won't Stop:A History of the Hip-Hop Generation ——-The Psychological Covert War on Hip-Hop——-The Covert War Against Rock:What You Don't Know About The Deaths of;(Jim Morrison, Tupac Shakur, Michael Hutchence, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix,Phil Ochs, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, John Lennon & The Notorious B.I.G)——-Hit Men:Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business——-Me, the Mob, and the Music:One Helluva Ride Tommy James and the Shondells——-Godfather of the Music Business:Morris Levy (American Made Music Series)——-LAbyrinth:A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implication of Death Row Records, Suge Knight, and the Origins of the Los Angeles——-The FBI war on Tupac Shakur:State repression of Black Leaders from the Civil Rights Error to the 1990s (real world)——-The FBI war on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders:US Intelligence's: Murderous Targeting of Tupac, MLK, Malcol, Panthers, Hendrix, Marley rappers and Linked Ethic Leftists——-Have Gun Will Travel:The Spectacular Rise and Violent Fall of Death Row Records——-The Big Payback:The History of the Business of Hip-Hop——-Ruthless:A Memoir——-Hip-Hop Decoded——-Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones——-How to Wreck a Nice Beach:The Vocoder from WW II to Hip-Hop, The Machine Speaks——-Dancing with the Devil:How Puff burned the bad boys of Hip-Hop——-Hiding in Hip-Hop:On the Down Low in the Entertainment industry—from Music to Hollywood

We've officially survived three years of MACABRE dark history… so today we're celebrating by oversharing. From unlikely roommates and embarrassing injuries to prophetic dreams, sleepwalking chaos, and possible past lives — this is the behind-the-curtain, best-friends-at-2am energy episode you didn't know you needed.Loving MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

Classic Edgar Allan Poe horror stories and mystery tales—a bingeable gothic anthology packed with macabre suspense, dark humor, revenge, and one of the most famous detective stories ever written. If you're searching for Edgar Allan Poe short stories, classic horror, Victorian gothic, old-time spooky literature, or a murder mystery with a locked-room vibe, this compilation is built for you.Inside this episode (in order):• Manuscript Found in a Bottle — a nightmare voyage into storm, fog, and fate as the sea turns uncanny and inescapable.• Hop-Frog — a brutal humiliation becomes a perfectly timed act of revenge horror.• Never Bet the Devil Your Head — Poe's wicked dark comedy fable, where a smug wager ends in a final, grim punchline.• Murders in the Rue Morgue — Poe's iconic detective mystery: a shocking Paris crime, impossible clues, and razor-sharp deduction.• The Man That Was Used Up — a satirical, unsettling tale of identity and reputation—what's left when the “hero” comes apart?Perfect for fans of classic scary stories, gothic horror audiobooks, mystery anthologies, and public domain literary chills. Lights low, volume up—let Poe do the rest.

In February 1826, 17-year-old Edgar Allan Poe was a promising student at the University of Virginia. But within a few months, gambling debts forced him to abandon his studies. It was just one of many setbacks Poe endured in a life marked by financial struggle, alcoholism, and personal tragedy.But Poe launched a remarkable career in writing, helping to establish American literature with a bold, new voice. From short stories including “The Fall of the House of Usher,” to the poem that made him famous, “The Raven,” he transformed the horror genre by delving into the dark recesses of the human subconscious and pushing the boundaries of fiction and verse.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Blaire and Halley in this 2 part, heavy hitter. He looked ordinary.Soft-spoken. Awkward. Forgettable.But behind the walls of a modest Milwaukee apartment, something unspeakable was unfolding.In this two-part series, MACABRE dives into the chilling life and crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer — from his isolated childhood and escalating obsessions… to the gruesome discoveries that shocked the world.Can't get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

Join us Blaire and Halley for the final installment of J is for Jeffrey Dahmer. Part Two: The apartment. The evidence. The aftermath. MACABRE MORSELS... whale sounds? Gacy and Dahmer? The strange phone calls. This is not a story for the faint of heart.Because sometimes the most terrifying thing is how ordinary evil can look.Can't get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

Présenté par Jeff - Partie MORTIS MUTILATI à 00:48:04La mort est une source d'inspiration inépuisable pour les musiciens de metal sombre. Qu'ils évoquent la perte, le deuil, le meurtre, le suicide ou la vie après la mort, le sujet a été largement exploré depuis les premières heures du genre. Pourtant, elle continue de passionner et d'intriguer les artistes, qui illustrent leurs funestes pensées par des riffs aiguisés. Dans ce nouvel épisode de Repas de Corbeaux, il est question de purgatoire, de décomposition et, plus largement, de la sentence finale qui nous touchera tous. Pour l'occasion, nous vous proposons une interview de Macabre du groupe MORTIS MUTILATI. Considéré comme le cinquième album par son compositeur, Death Worshippers poursuit la trajectoire conceptuelle et naturelle du projet. Mortis Mutilati continue ainsi sa sublimation autour de la mort, avec toutefois un parti pris nouveau. 

Abbonati ed entra nella Masnada! https://lorenzomanara.it/bio/Alla scoperta del De Nugis Curialium di Walter Map, un manoscritto inglese del XII secolo che contiene cronache inquietanti su morti viventi e presenze demoniache. In questo episodio esploreremo le vere origini del mito del non-morto, analizzando tre racconti macabri che hanno fondato il nostro immaginario fantastico ben prima della nascita dei moderni vampiri.Dalla terrificante vicenda del cavaliere William Laudun nel villaggio del Galles, costretto a decapitare un cadavere malvagio che sterminava i vicini col solo richiamo della voce, fino all'incredibile intervento di Carlo Magno e del suo esercito contro i demoni per salvare un chierico avido. Scopriremo come la figura del non-morto che esce dalla tomba fosse già radicata nel folclore medievale, influenzando la cultura popolare attraverso simboli religiosi, rituali di esorcismo fisico e battaglie spirituali tra l'Aldilà e il mondo dei vivi.

Classic Edgar Allan Poe horror stories—gothic terror, madness, murder, and psychological dread—all in one chilling anthology. If you love classic horror, dark literature, and Victorian-era nightmares, this Poe compilation is built for you: guilt that won't stay buried, revenge sealed behind bricks, obsession that rots the mind, and survival-horror fear sharpened to a razor's edge.Inside this episode:• The Black Cat — a confession soaked in alcohol-fueled violence, guilt, and the uncanny feeling that something is watching from the dark.• Morella — grief, identity, and a haunting that crawls into the heart of a family and refuses to let go.• The Cask of Amontillado — Poe's coldest revenge tale: a smiling invitation, a wine cellar, and a final brick laid in silence.• The Pit and the Pendulum — pure claustrophobic survival horror: imprisonment, panic, and the merciless countdown of the pendulum's arc.• Berenice — obsession turns grotesque as love, memory, and fixation spiral into something unspeakable.Whether you're here for classic ghost stories, murder confessions, or psychological horror that still hits hard today—press play, turn the lights down, and let Poe do what he does best.

It was like the world was out to get us and prevent this episode from ever being recorded, but we prevailed! Here's a list of our personal Top 10 horror films from 2025. Letterboxd List

They don't chase you.They don't scream.They don't even move.They just bloom.And somewhere between the petals and the perfume…your nervous system shuts down, your lungs fill with fluid, or your heart simply… stops.Today on MACABRE, we're talking about killer plants — the flowers that poison, the shrubs that suffocate, and the innocent little garden guests that have ended more lives than some serial killers.Welcome… to the Murder Garden. ( A MACABRE throwback/ Exhumed from Season 2!) Can't get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

Podcaster Dexter De La Paz joins the pod to talk Poe, Epstein, Grimdark and American macabre historically and now. Get the After Dark episode and more at patreon.com/artofdarkpod or substack.com/@artofdarkpod. x.com/TLEPaz x.com/artofdarkpod x.com/therewillbbooks x.com/kautzmania Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

C'est le samedi 24 juillet 2010 à Villers-au-Tertre, près de Douai dans le Nord, que commence l'affaire Cottrez. Ou plutôt c'est ce jour-là qu'elle est dévoilée au grand public mais elle a commencé bien des années auparavant. Les Mériaux ont acheté trois ans plus tôt une maison dans ce village de six-cents habitants. En cette belle journée d'été, ils jardinent. Ils creusent au pied d'un arbre et découvrent un sac. Ce sac contient un autre sac puis encore un autre. Les précédents propriétaires y auraient-ils enterré leur chien ? Quand ils ouvrent le dernier sac, l'odeur de putréfaction est insupportable. Pas de doute, c'est un cadavre. Les Mériaux cherchent à en déterminer la nature : chien ? Chat ? Mais ce crâne rond avec deux petits trous pour les yeux, ce n'est pas celui d'un animal… c'est un être humain, un tout petit être humain : un bébé. Les Mériaux découvrent qu'il y a un autre sac plein dans les sacs. Ils contactent les gendarmes...Crimes • Histoires Vraies est une production Minuit. Notre collection s'agrandit avec Crimes en Bretagne, Montagne et Provence.

What if I told you there's a black market hiding in plain sight—not for drugs… not for weapons… but for human bodies?In 2026, investigators uncovered a case so disturbing it forced a national reckoning over who owns the dead, how bodies are regulated, and how easily grief can be exploited for profit.At the center of it all is one name: Jonathan Gerlach.This isn't a story about a single crime—it's about a system that allowed human remains to be bought, sold, and shipped like inventory.And once you hear how it worked… you'll never look at body donation the same way again.Can't get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

After illnesses, tech issues, and life in general getting in the way, Joe and Chris come crawling out of the crypt with a "proof of life" episode.

We're back! Another round of Idioms...Blaire and Halley unpack the sh*t we say today by digging into the past to uncover the truth of their origins. Sometimes disgusting, sometimes unhinged, but always entertaining. Discover the original meaning of "kick the bucket", "hungover", and more. Stick around for the second half of the episode where we play a little game called, "guess the meaning" of words and phrases from the book "1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue". Can't get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

A man who once loved animals more than anything confesses from death row how a single act of drunken cruelty against his beloved black cat set him on an inescapable path toward madness, murder, and supernatural vengeance.IN THIS EPISODE: Would you stay at your grandparents' house if their entire neighborhood was haunted? (“Grandpa and Grandma's House”) *** When it comes to hardened criminals in tough prisons, there is no escape… not even in death. (“America's Most Haunted Prisons”) *** At least 45 deaths of young men are attributed to the Smiley Face Killer, but most police departments say he doesn't exist. (“The Smiley Face Killer”) *** And finally, by special request, I will narrate the classic Edgar Allan Poe story - “The Black Cat”!YOUTUBE CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:01:02.592 = Show Open00:02:23.301 = Grandpa And Grandma's House00:05:39.097 = The Smiley Face Killer00:10:21.475 = America's Most Haunted Prisons***00:27:22.215 = “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe***00:53:03.937 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakSOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“Grandpa and Grandma's House”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxxfrdma“America's Most Haunted Prisons” written by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/55828b4t“The Smiley Face Killer”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yx2y4xvc“The Black Cat” written by Edgar Allan Poe (1845): https://poestories.com/read/blackcat=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September, 2018EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/BlackCatPoeABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#WeirdDarkness, #EdgarAllanPoe, #TheBlackCat, #GothicHorror, #ClassicHorror, #CreepyStories, #HorrorStories, #Macabre, #PsychologicalHorror, #ScaryStories

Exodus - narrative how Moses was setting captives free; Returning men to family and possessions; How to form a free society - Pure Republic; Appetites for benefits = living at the expense of others; Degenerating the people; Distorting Moses; Imaginary Christians; Humility; Seeing your traumatization; "Evil"; Tree of Life; Explaining "weird" things; Peace offerings; shem-lamad-mem+yod+mem (shalom); "naked"; learning what you don't know; Lev 4:1 laws for sin offerings; "Corban"; Making word of God to none effect?; Coming to serve; How did God speak to Moses? Ignorance in spirit and reality; "sin"; Knowing sin; Revealing iniquity; Needing a king? Or God in your heart?; Priest sinning?; Religious "service"?; Pure Religion; Civil "right"; Citizen or stranger?; Missing metaphors; Rights of property; Portable land; Interest in property?; Marriage contracts; Your connections to government; Destroyers of liberty; Taking away others' rights; Contracting with the gods of men; Bullocks?; hey-pe-resh; Tabernacle of the congregation; "wood" on the "altar"; v5 - bullock's blood; life is in the blood; veils?; Righteousness!; v7 priest placing blood; horns of the altar; Vessels of Holy Spirit - within you; "Witchcraft"?; Freewill vs forced offerings; To whom do you pray for your daily bread; Living altars; Sharing priest's life upon the other living stones; Repentance; Holy Spirit change your thinking; v8 Fat?; Macabre ritual?; Making Jacob stink?; Becoming Israel; Idolatry = covetous practices; God wants you to come to Him; Forcing neighbor to provide for you is sin of covetousness; Defunding the police?; "bullocks" = "seek"; Christ's instructions; Making covenants with the world; Sureties for debt - human resources; FACE act?; Religious services?; Funding daily bread?; Taking from neighbors and their children; Seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness; Once you know, you must choose your path; Returning to bondage?; Sending your steward to bite your neighbor; Becoming merchandise; The Word = right reason; The prodigal son - turn around to serve in Father's house; Wise giving - spiritual caring; "Elder"; aleph-tav; Sacrifice of the congregation; "fat" = what is good/valuable; Emotions can be blinding; How to be righteous; Start with seeking.

What's scarier than ghosts, cults, or cosmic madness?

Every town has a secret.This one just happens to be rooted in a curse.On this episode of MACABRE, we're digging into The Chained Oak Mystery — where legends linger, truths rot beneath the surface, and curiosity might just get you killed.Can't get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won't hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?

Church of Mabus_ E_R_ Vernor - Dark Moon Press - Eerie America Travel Guide of the Macabre

This week on MACABRE: A Dark History Podcast, we're doing the only appropriate thing with Adolf Hitler — roasting him.No glorification. No myth-making. Just the weird obsessions, fragile ego, and deeply pathetic details of Adolf Hitler's life. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of historical figures associated with violence and genocide, as well as dark humor, satire, and adult language. The subject is presented critically and for the purpose of historical commentary and ridicule — not glorification.Exclusive Spotify Feed subscribers get ad free content, early access and exclusive bonus episodes .Paid supporters on Patreon, get access to even more bonus content , ad free, early listening and MACABRE perks :⁠⁠⁠⁠ Macabre Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠Send in your stories for a future listener episode!Email us at thatssomacabre@gmail.comWant to connect with other MACABRE listeners? Join our private Facebook Group at :⁠⁠⁠⁠ MacabrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Macabre Exclusive Merch ⁠⁠ www.gothiccthreads.comSOURCES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj1oo7mjvkQ  50 Insane Facts about Hitler Wikipedia – Adolf Hitler (general biography):https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler WikipediaBritannica – Adolf Hitler (biography summary):https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adolf-Hitler Encyclopedia BritannicaJewish Virtual Library – Adolf Hitler biography:https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/adolf-hitler Jewish Virtual LibraryUS Holocaust Memorial Museum – Adolf Hitler: Early Years:https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/adolf-hitler-early-years-1889-1921 Holocaust EncyclopediaWikipedia — Paintings by Adolf Hitler (includes Academy rejection info):https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paintings_by_Adolf_Hitler WikipediaBritannica / History sections in general biography (covers WWI service):https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adolf-Hitler Encyclopedia BritannicaHistory.com – Hitler's early life & WWI service:https://www.history.com/articles/adolf-hitler HISTORYHistoryHit – Facts about Eva Braun:https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-eva-braun/ History HitWikipedia – Blondi (Hitler's dog):https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blondi WikipediaWikipedia – Possible monorchism of Adolf Hitler:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Possible_monorchism_of_Adolf_Hitler Wikipediahttps://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/did-adolf-hitler-really-only-have-one-testicle/

Rediffusion. La nuit du 20 février 2009 à Piedmont, au Québec, Guy Turcotte, cardiologue, poignarde à mort ses deux enfants âgés de 3 et 5 ans. Que s'est-il passé dans la tête de cet homme pour commettre le pire ? A quelle peine à t-il été condamné ? Vous aurez du mal à y croire... Une découverte macabre Ce matin, Marguerite est inquiète. Hier soir, elle a passé une heure au téléphone avec Guy Turcotte. Guy, c'est son fils de 36 ans. Il n'était pas en forme. Il vient de se séparer de sa femme Isabelle, il était malheureux comme tout. Il n'arrêtait pas de répéter que son épouse l'avait démolie. Et puis un divorce, c'est compliqué quand on a deux enfants en bas âge. Elle a un mauvais pressentiment... Un podcast Bababam Originals Écriture : Tiphaine Pioger Voix : Caroline Nogueras Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marla and Ron speak with Paul Gambino oddities collector and author

Kicking off our 11th year of The Podcast Macabre, we recap the 2025 Letterboxd challenge by each sharing six of our favorite first-time watches from our lists.

What drives someone to collect the darkest objects imaginable?In this episode of The StickyBeak, I sit down with Nick Bowman, a collector of the macabre — and some of the artefacts we discuss genuinely caught me off guard. From rare death-related objects to controversial items involving human remains, this is a conversation that goes far beyond shock value.Nick is thoughtful, open, and deeply aware that macabre collecting isn't for everyone — and he's not trying to convert anyone. Instead, he helps bust common myths around the macabre collecting world, especially the misconceptions surrounding human body parts, ethics, legality, and consent.⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses dark and heavy topics that may not be suitable for all listeners.If you're curious about death culture, taboo collections, or the psychology behind why we're drawn to the macabre, this is a fascinating and unexpectedly thoughtful conversation.Thanks to Nick for being so open, you can find on the following...INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nickchopper_?igsh=Yml4cG5vY2FibHY0TIKTOK: @nickchopper_This episode was brought to you by Tüt, toilet lid stickers to zhuzh up your toot. Because every throne needs a crown.https://www.etsy.com/shop/tutdeco/

Macabre || (2) Weekend | November 20, 1961Weekend on a mysterious island with a mad doctor who is experimenting with a deadly drug.: : : : :You can donate to show your support for my podcast and the time I put into creating and posting every week. Donations are through my duane.media PayPal account:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MSL7S8FKCSL94My other podcast channels include: MYSTERY x SUSPENSE -- DRAMA X THEATER -- COMEDY x FUNNY HA HA -- VARIETY X ARMED FORCES -- THE COMPLETE ORSON WELLES.Subscribing is free and you'll receive new post notifications. Thank you for your support.https://otr.duane.media | Instagram @duane.otr#scifiradio #oldtimeradio #otr #radiotheater #radioclassics #bbcradio #raybradbury #twilightzone #horror #oldtimeradioclassics #classicradio #horrorclassics #xminusone #sciencefiction #duaneotr:::: :

On this episode, join the Ladies of Macabre for a blast from the past for a hilarious look at the Worst Ways people died during the Baroque Period. From flaming wigs, to molten medicine, this installment of MACABRE EXHUMED digs up a PATREON exclusive episode for your listening pleasure. Hold on to your powdered wig and tighten your corsets for this unhinged episode of MACABRE. Exclusive Feed Spotify subscribers get ad free content, early access and exclusive bonus episodes .Paid supporters on Patreon, Join us for Macabre Movie Nights and Game Nights :⁠⁠⁠⁠ Macabre Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠ along with ad free, early listening and loads of bonus content for your listening pleasure. Send in your stories for a future listener episode!Email us at thatssomacabre@gmail.comJoin our private Facebook Group at :⁠⁠⁠⁠ MacabrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Macabre Exclusive Merch ⁠⁠ www.gothiccthreads.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does 2026 hold for indie authors and the publishing industry? I give my thoughts on trends and predictions for the year ahead. In the intro, Quitting the right stuff; how to edit your author business in 2026; Is SubStack Good for Indie Authors?; Business for Authors webinars. If you'd like to join my community and support the show every month, you'll get access to my growing list of Patron videos and audio on all aspects of the author business — for the price of a black coffee (or two) a month. Join us at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability (3) The start of Agentic Commerce (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever You can find all my books as J.F. Penn and Joanna Penn on your favourite online store in all the usual formats, or order from your local library or bookstore. You can also buy direct from me at CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com. I'm not really active on social media, but you can always see my photos at Instagram @jfpennauthor. 2026 Trends and Predictions for Indie Authors and Book Publishing (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events — and more companies like BookVault will offer even more beautiful physical books and products to support this. This trend will not be a surprise to most of you! Selling direct has been a trend for the last few years, but in 2026, it will continue to grow as a way that independent authors become even more independent. The recent Written Word Media survey from Dec 2025 noted that 30% of authors surveyed are selling direct already and 30% say they plan to start in 2026. Among authors earning over $10,000 per month, roughly half sell direct. In my opinion, selling direct is an advanced author strategy, meaning that you have multiple books and you understand book marketing and have an email list already or some guaranteed way to reach readers. In fact, Kindlepreneur reports that 66% of authors selling direct have more than 5 books, and 46% have more than 10 books. Of course, you can start with the something small, like a table at a local event with a limited number of books for sale, but if you want to consistently sell direct for years to come, you need to consider all the business aspects. Selling direct is not a silver bullet. It's much harder work to sell direct than it is to just upload an ebook to Amazon, whether you choose a Kickstarter campaign, or Shopify/Payhip or other online stores, or regular in-person sales at events/conferences/fairs. You need a business mindset and business practices, for example, you need to pay upfront for setup as well as ongoing management, and bulk printing in some cases. You need to manage taxes and cashflow. You need to be a lot more proactive about marketing, as you won't sell anything if you don't bring readers to your books/products. But selling direct also brings advantages. It sets you apart from the bulk of digital only authors who still only upload ebooks to Amazon, or maybe add a print on demand book, and in an era of AI rapid creation, that number is growing all the time. If you sell direct, you get your customer data and you can reach those customers next time, through your email list. If you don't know who bought your books and don't have a guaranteed way to reach them, you will more easily be disrupted when things change — and they always change eventually. Kindlepreneur notes that “45% of the successful direct selling authors had over 1,000 subscribers on their email lists,” with “a clear, positive correlation between email list size and monthly direct sales income — with authors having an email list of over 15,000 subscribers earning 20X more than authors with email lists under 100 subscribers.” Selling direct means faster money, sometimes the same day or the same week in many cases, or a few weeks after a campaign finishes, as with Kickstarter. And remember, you don't have to sell all your formats directly. You can keep your ebooks in KU, do whatever you like with audiobooks, and just have premium print products direct, or start with a very basic Kickstarter campaign, or a table at a local fair. Lots more tips for Shopify and Kickstarter at https://www.thecreativepenn.com/selldirectresources/ I also recommend the Novel Marketing Podcast on The Shopify Trap: Why authors keep losing money as it is a great counterpoint to my positive endorsement of selling direct on Shopify! Among other things, Thomas notes that a fixed monthly fee for a store doesn't match how most authors make money from books which is more in spikes, the complexity and hassle eats time and can cost more money if you pay for help, and it can reduce sales on Amazon and weaken your ranking. Basically, if you haven't figured out marketing direct to your store, it can hurt you.All true for some authors, for some genres, and for some people's lifestyle. But for authors who don't want to be on the hamster wheel of the Amazon algorithm and who want more diversity and control in income, as well as the incredible creative benefits of what you can do selling direct, then I would say, consider your options in 2025, even if that is trying out a low-financial-goal Kickstarter campaign, or selling some print books at a local fair. Interestingly, traditional publishers are also experimenting with direct sales. Kate Elton, the new CEO of Harper Collins notes in The Bookseller's 2026 trend article, “we are seeing global success with responsive, reader-driven publishing, subscription boxes and TikTok Shop and – crucially – developing strategies that are founded on a comprehensive understanding of the reader.” She also notes, “AI enables us to dramatically change the way we interact with and grow audiences. The opportunities are genuinely exciting – finding new ways to help readers discover books they will love, innovating in the ways we market and reach audiences, building new channels and adapting to new methods of consuming content.” (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability From LinkedIn's 2026 Big Ideas: “Generative engine optimization (GEO) is set to replace search engine optimization (SEO) as the way brands get discovered in the year ahead. As consumers turn to AI chatbots, agentic workflows and answer engines, appearing prominently in generative outputs will matter more than ranking in search engines.” Google has been rolling out AI Mode with its AI Overviews and is beginning to push it within Google.com itself in some countries, which means the start of a fundamental change in how people discover content online. I first posted about GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) in 2023, and it's going to change how readers find books. For years, we've talked about the long tail of search. Now, with AI-powered search, that tail is getting even longer and more nuanced. AI can understand complex, conversational queries that traditional search engines struggled with. Someone might ask, “What's a good thriller set in a small town with a female protagonist who's a journalist investigating a cold case?” and get highly specific recommendations. This means your book metadata, your website content, and your online presence need to be more detailed and conversational. AI search engines understand context in ways that go far beyond simple keywords. The authors who win in this new landscape will be those who create rich, authentic content about their books and themselves, not just promotional copy. As economist Tyler Cowen has said, “Consider the AIs as part of your audience. Because they are already reading your words and listening to your voice.” We're in the ‘organic' traffic phase right now, where these AI engines are surfacing content for ‘free,' but paid ads are inevitably on the way, and even rumoured to be coming this year to ChatGPT. By the end of 2026, I expect some authors and publishers to be paying for AI traffic, rather than blocking and protesting them. For now, I recommend checking that your author name/s and your books are surfaced when you search on ChatGPT.com as well as Google.com AI Mode (powered by Gemini). You want to make sure your work comes up in some way. I found that Joanna Penn and J.F. Penn searches brought up my Shopify stores, my website, podcast, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even my Patreon page, but did not bring up links to Amazon. If you only have an author presence on Amazon, does it appear in AI search at all? Do you need to improve anything about what the AI search brings up? Traditional publishers are also looking at this, with PublishersWeekly doing webinars on various aspects of AI in early 2026, including sessions on GEO and how book sales are changing, AI agents, and book marketing. In a 2026 predictions article on The Bookseller, the CEO of Bloomsbury Publishing noted, “The boundaries of artificial intelligence will become clearer, enabling publishers to harness its benefits while seeking to safeguard the intellectual property rights of authors, illustrators and publishers.” “AI will be deeply embedded in our workflows, automating tasks such as metadata tagging, freeing teams to focus on creativity and strategy. Challenges will persist. Generative AI threatens traditional web traffic and ad revenue models, making metadata optimisation and SEO critical for visibility as we adjust to this new reality online.” (3) The start of Agentic Commerce AI researches what you want to buy and may even buy on your behalf. Plus, I predict that Amazon does a commerce deal with OpenAI for shopping within ChatGPT by the end of 2026. In September 2025, ChatGPT launched Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which will enable bots to buy on websites in the background if authorised by the human with the credit card. VISA is getting on board with this, so is PayPal, with no doubt more payment options to come. In the USA, ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Free users can now buy directly from US Etsy sellers inside the chat interface, with over a million Shopify merchants coming soon. Shopify and OpenAI have also announced a partnership to bring commerce to ChatGPT. I am insanely excited about this as it could represent the first time we have been able to more easily find and surface books in a much more nuanced way than the 7 keywords and 3 categories we have relied on for so long! I've been using ChatGPT for at least the last year to find fiction and non-fiction books as I find the Amazon interface is ‘polluted' by ads. I've discovered fascinating books from authors I've never heard of, most in very long tail areas. For example, Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby, recommended by ChatGPT as I am interested in medical anatomy and anatomical Venuses, and The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson, recommended as I like art history and the supernatural. I don't think I would have found either of these within a nuanced discussion with ChatGPT. Even without these direct purchase integrations, ChatGPT now has Shopping Research, which I have found links directly to my Shopify store when I search for my books specifically. Walmart has partnered with OpenAI to create AI-first shopping experiences, and you have to wonder what Amazon might be doing? In Nov 2025, Amazon signed a “strategic partnership” with OpenAI, and even though it's focused on the technical side of AI, those two companies in a room together might also be working on other plans … I'm calling it for 2026. I think Amazon will sign a commerce agreement with OpenAI sometime before the end of the year. This will enable at least recommendation and shopping links into Amazon stores (presumably using an OpenAI affiliate link), or perhaps even Instant Checkout with ChatGPT for Amazon. It will also enable a new marketing angle, especially if paid ads arrive in ChatGPT, perhaps even integrating with Amazon Ads in some way as part of any possible agreement, since ads are such a good revenue stream for Amazon anyway. The line between discovery, engagement, and purchase is collapsing. Someone could be having a conversation with an AI about what to read next, and within that same conversation, purchase a bookwithout ever leaving the chat interface. This already happens within TikTok and social commerce clearly works for many authors. It's possible that the next development for book discoverability and sales might be within AI chats. This will likely stratify the already fragmented book eco-system even more. Some readers will continue to live only within the Amazon ecosystem and (maybe) use their Rufus chatbot to buy, and others will be much wider in their exploration of how to find and discover books (and other products and services). If you haven't tried it yet, try ChatGPT.com Shopping Research for a book. You can do this on the free tier. Use the drop down in the main chat box and select Shopping Research. It doesn't have to be for your book. It can be any book or product, for example, our microwave died just before Christmas so I used it to find a new one. But do a really nuanced search with multiple requirements. Go far beyond what you would search for on Amazon. In the results, notice that (at the time of writing) it does not generally link to Amazon, but to independent sites and stores. As above, I think this will change by the end of 2026, as some kind of commerce deal with Amazon seems inevitable. (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream I've been talking about AI narration of audiobooks since 2019, and over the years, I've tried various different options. In 2025, the technology reached a level of emotional nuance that made it much easier to create satisfying fiction audio as well as non-fiction. It also super-charges accessibility, making audio available in more languages and more accents than ever before. Of course, human narration remains the gold standard, but the cost makes it prohibitive for many authors, and indeed many small traditional publishers, for all books. If it costs $2000 – $10,000 to create an audiobook, you have to sell a lot to make a profit, and the dominance of subscription models have made it harder to recoup the costs. Famous narrators and voice artists who have an audience may still be worth investing in, as well as premium production, but require an even higher upfront cost and therefore higher sales and streams in return. AI voice/audio models are continuing to improve, and even as this goes out, there are rumours on TechCrunch that OpenAI's new device, designed by Jony Ive who designed the iPhone, will be audio first and OpenAI are improving their voice models even more in preparation for that launch. In 2026, I think AI-narrated audio will go mainstream with far-reaching adoption across publishing and the indie author world in many different languages and accents. This will mean a further stratification of audiobooks, with high quality, high production, high cost human narrated audio for a small percentage of books, and then mass market, affordable AI-narrated audio for the rest. AI-narrated audiobooks will make audio ubiquitous, and just as (almost) every print book has an ebook format, in 2026, they will also have an audio format. I straddle both these worlds, as I am still a human audiobook narrator for my own work. I human-narrated Successful Self-Publishing Fourth Edition (free audiobook) and The Buried and the Drowned, my short story collection. I also use AI narration for some books. ElevenLabs remains my preferred service and in 2025, I used my J.F. Penn voice clone for Death Valley and also Blood Vintage, while using a male voice for Catacomb. I clearly label my AI-narration in the sales description and also on the cover, which I think is important, although it is not always required by the various services. You can distribute ElevenLabs narrated audiobooks on Spotify, Kobo Writing Life, YouTube, ElevenReader, and of course your own store if you use Shopify with Bookfunnel. There are many other services springing up all the time, so make sure you check the rights you have over the finished audio, as well as where you can sell and distribute the final files. If they are just using ElevenLabs models in the back-end, then why not just do that directly? (Most services will be using someone's model in the back-end, since most companies do not train their own models.) Of course, you can use Amazon's own narration. While Amazon originally launched Audible audiobooks with Virtual Voice (AVV) in November 2023, it was rolled out to more authors and territories in 2025. If your book is eligible, the option to create an audiobook will appear on your KDP dashboard. With just a few clicks, you can create an audiobook from a range of voices and accents, and publish it on Amazon and Audible. However, the files are not yours. They are exclusive to Amazon and you cannot use them on other platforms or sell them direct yourself. But they are also free, so of course, many authors, especially those in KU, will use this option. I have done some for my mum's sweet romance books as Penny Appleton and I will likely use them for my books in translation when the option becomes available. Traditional publishers are experimenting with AI-assisted audiobook narration as well. MacMillan is selling digital audiobooks read by AI directly on their store. PublishersWeekly reports that PRH Audio “has experimented with artificial voice in specific instances, such as entrepreneur Ely Callaway's posthumous memoir The Unconquerable Game,” when an “authorized voice replica” was created for the audiobook. The article also notes that PRH Audio “embrace artificial intelligence across business operations—my entire department [PRH Audio] is using AI for business applications.” And while indie authors can't use AI voices on ACX right now, Audible have over 100 voices available to selected publishing partnerships, as reported by The Guardian with “two options for publishers wishing to make use of the technology: “Audible-managed” production, or “self-service” whereby publishers produce their own audiobooks with the help of Audible's AI technology.” In 2026, it's likely that more traditional publishers — as well as indie authors — will get their backlist into audio with AI narration. (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters Over the years, I've done translation deals with traditional publishers in different languages (German, French, Spanish, Korean, Italian) for some fiction and non-fiction books. But of course, to get these kinds of deals, you have to be proactive about pitching, or work with an agent for foreign rights only, and those are few and far between! There are also lots of languages and territories worldwide, and most deals are for the bigger markets, leaving a LOT of blue water for books in translation, even if you have licensed some of the bigger markets. I did my first partially AI-translated books in 2019 when I used Deepl.com for the first draft and then worked with a German editor to do 3 non-fiction books in German. While the first draft was cheap, the editing was pretty expensive, so I stopped after only doing a couple. I have made the money back now, but it took years. In 2025, AI Translation began to take off with ScribeShadow, GlobeScribe.ai, and more recently, in November 2025, Kindle Translate boosting the number of translated books available. Kindle Translate is (currently) only available to US authors for English into Spanish and also German into English, but in 2026, this will likely roll out to more languages and more authors, making it easier than ever to produce translations for free. Of course, once again, the gold standard is human translation, or at least human-edited translations, but the cost is prohibitive even just for proof-reading, and if there is a cheap or even free option, like Kindle Translate, then of course, authors are going to try it. If the translation gets bad reviews, they can just un-publish. There are many anecdotal stories of indie success in 2025 with AI-translated genre fiction sales (in series) in under-served markets like Italian, French, and Spanish, as well as more mainstream adoption in German. I was around in the Kindle gold-rush days of 2009-2012 and the AI-translation energy right now feels like that. There are hardly any Kindle ebooks in many of these languages compared to how many there are in English, so inevitably, the rush is on to fill the void, especially in genres that are under-served by traditional publishers in those markets. Yes, some of these AI translated books will be ‘AI-slop,' but readers are not stupid. Those books will get bad reviews and thus will sink to the bottom of the store, never to be seen again. The AI translation models are also improving rapidly, and Amazon's Kindle Translate may improve faster than most, for books specifically, since they will be able to get feedback in terms of page reads. Amazon is also a major investor in Anthropic, which makes Claude.ai, widely considered the best quality for creative writing and translation, so it's likely that is used somewhere in the mix. Some traditional publishers are also experimenting with AI-assisted translation, with Harlequin France reportedly using AI translation and human proofreaders, as reported by the European Council of Literary Translators' Associations in December 2025. Academic publisher Taylor and Francis is also using AI for book translation, noting: “Following a program of rigorous testing, Taylor & Francis has announced plans to use AI translation tools to publish books that would otherwise be unavailable to English-language readers, bringing the latest knowledge to a vastly expanded readership.” “Until now, the time and resources required to translate books has meant that the majority remained accessible only to those who could read them in the original language. Books that were translated often only became available after a significant delay. Today, with the development of sophisticated AI translation tools, it has become possible to make these important texts available to a broad readership at speed, without compromising on accuracy.” (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. In 2025, short form AI-generated video became very high quality. OpenAI released Sora 2, and YouTube announced new Shorts creation tools with Veo 3, which you can also use directly within Gemini. There are tons of different AI video apps now, including those within the social media sites themselves. There is more video than ever and it's much easier to create. I am not a fan of short form video! I don't make it and I don't consume it, but I do love making book trailers for my Kickstarter campaigns and for adding to my book pages and using on social media. I made a trailer for The Buried and the Drowned using Midjourney for images and then animation of those images, and Canva to put them together along with ElevenLabs to generate the music. But despite the AI tools getting so much easier to use, you still have to prompt them with exactly what you want. I can't just upload my book and say, “Make a book trailer,” or “Make a short film.” This may change with generative video ads, which are likely to become more common in 2026, as video turns specifically commercial. Video ads may even be generated specifically for the user, with an audience of one, maybe even holding your book in their hands (using something like Cameos on Sora), in the same way that some AI-powered clothing stores do virtual try-ons. This might also up-end the way we discover and buy things, as the AI for eCommerce and Amazon Sellers newsletter says about OpenAI's Sora app, “OpenAI isn't just trying to build a TikTok competitor. They're building a complete reimagining of how we discover and buy things …” “The combination of ChatGPT's research capabilities and Sora's potential for emotional manipulation—I mean, “engagement”—could create something we've never seen before: an AI ecosystem that might eventually guide you through every type of purchase, from the most considered to the most impulsive.” In 2026, there will be A LOT more AI-generated video, but that also leads to the human trend of more live video. While you can use an AI avatar that looks and sounds like you using tools like HeyGen or Synthesia, live video has all the imperfect human elements that make it stand-out, plus the scarcity element which leads to the purchase decision within a countdown period. Live video is nothing new in terms of brand building and content in general, but it seems that live events primarily for direct sales might be a thing in 2026. Kim Kardashian hosted Kimsmas Live in December 2025 with a 45 minute live shopping event with special guests, described as entertainment but designed to be a sales extravaganza. Indie authors are doing a similar thing on TikTok with their books, so this is a trend to watch in 2026, especially if you feel that live selling might fit with your personality and author business goals. It's certainly not for everyone, but I suspect it will suit a different kind of creator to those who prefer ‘no face' video, or no video at all! On other aspects of the human side of social media, Adam Mosseri the CEO of Instagram put a post on Threads called Authenticity after Abundance. He said, “Everything that made creators matter—the ability to be real, to connect, to have a voice that couldn't be faked—is now suddenly accessible to anyone with the right tools.” “Deepfakes are getting better and better. AI is generating photographs and videos indistinguishable from captured media. The feeds are starting to fill up with synthetic everything. And in that world, here's what I think happens.Creators matter more.” It's a long article so just to pick a few things from it: “We like to talk about “AI slop,” but there is a lot of amazing AI content … we are going to start to see more and more realistic AI content.” I've talked to my Patreon Community about this ‘tsunami of excellence' as these tools are just getting better and better and the word ‘slop' can also be applied to purely human output, too. If you think that AI content is ‘worse' than wholly human content, in 2026, you are wrong. It is now very very good, especially in the hands of people who can drive the AI tools. Back to Adam's post: “Authenticity is fast becoming a scarce resource, …The creators who succeed will be those who figure out how to maintain their authenticity [even when it can be simulated] …” “The bar is going to shift from “can you create?” to “can you make something that only you could create?” He talks about how the personal content on Instagram now is: “unpolished; it's blurry photos and shaky videos of people's daily experiences … flattering imagery is cheap to produce and boring to consume. People want content that feels real… Savvy creators are going to lean into explicitly unproduced and unflattering images of themselves. In a world where everything can be perfected, imperfection becomes a signal. Rawness isn't just aesthetic preference anymore—it's proof. It's defensive. A way of saying: this is real because it's imperfect.” While I partially love this, and I really hope it's true, as in I hope we don't need to look good for the camera anymore I would also challenge Adam on this, because pretty much every woman I know on social media has been sent sexual messages, and/or told they are ugly and/or fat when posting anything unflattering. I've certainly had both even for the same content, but I don't expect Adam has been the target for such posting! But I get his point. He goes on:“Labeling content as authentic or AI-generated is only part of the solution though. We, as an industry, are going to need to surface much more context about not only the media on our platforms, but the accounts that are sharing it in order for people to be able to make informed decisions about what to believe. Where is the account? When was it created? What else have they posted?” This is exactly what I've been saying for a while under my double down on being human focus. I use my Instagram @jfpennauthor as evidence of humanity, not as a sales channel. You can do both of course, but increasingly, you need to make sure your accounts at places have longevity and trust, even by the platforms themselves. Adam finishes: “In a world of infinite abundance and infinite doubt, the creators who can maintain trust and signal authenticity—by being real, transparent, and consistent—will stand out.” For other marketing trends for 2026, I recommend publicist Kathleen Schmidt's SubStack which is mostly focused on traditional publishing but still interesting for indies. In her 2026 article, she notes: “We have reached a social media saturation point where going viral can be meaningless and should not be the goal; authenticity and creativity should. She also says, “In-person events are important again,” and, “Social media marketing takes a nosedive… we have reached a saturation point … What publishers must figure out is how to make their social media campaigns stand out. If they remain somewhat uninspired, the money spent on social ads won't convert into book sales.” I think this is part of the rise of live selling as above, which can stand out above more ‘produced' videos. Kathleen also talks about AI usage. “AI can help lighten the burden of publicity and marketing.” “A lot of AI tools are coming to market to lessen the load: they can write pitches, create media lists for you, send pitches for you, and more. I know the industry is grappling with all things AI, but some of these tools are huge time savers and may help a book more than hurt it.” On that note … (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention Many authors will be very happy about this as marketing is often the bane of our author business lives! As I noted in my 2026 goals, I would love to outsource more marketing tasks to AI. I want an “AI book marketing assistant” where I can upload a book and specify a budget and say, ‘Go market this,' then the AI will action the marketing, without me having to cobble together workflows between systems. Of course, it will present plans for me to approve but it will do the work itself on the various platforms and monitor and optimize things for me. I really hope 2026 is the year this becomes possible, because we are on the edge of it already in some areas. Amazon Ads launched a new agentic AI tool in September 2025 that creates professional-quality ads. I've also been working with Claude in Chrome browser to help me analyse my Amazon Ad data and suggest which keywords/products to turn off and what to put more budget into. I'll do a Patreon video on that soon. Meta announced it will enable AI ad creation by the end of 2026 for Facebook and Instagram. For authors who find ad creation overwhelming or time-consuming, this could be a game-changer. Of course, you will still need a budget! (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever Lots of authors and publishers are moaning about the difficulty of reaching readers in an era of ‘AI slop' but there is no shortage of excellent content created by humans, or humans using AI tools. As ever, our competition is less about other authors, or even authors using AI-assisted creation, we're competing against everything else that jostles for people's attention, and the volume of that is also growing exponentially. I've never been a fan of rapid release, and have said for years that you can't keep up with the pace of the machines. So play a different game. As Kevin Kelly wrote in 2008, If you have 1000 true fans, (also known as super fans), “you can make a living — if you are content to make a living but not a fortune.” [Kevin Kelly was on this show in 2023 talking about Excellent Advice for Living.] Many authors and the publishing industry are stuck in the old model of aiming to sell huge volumes of books at a low profit margin to a massive number of readers, many of them releasing ever faster to try and keep the algorithms moving. But the maths can work for the smaller audience of more invested readers and fans. If you only make $2 profit on an ebook, you need to sell 500 ebooks to make $1000, and then do it again next month. Or you can have a small community like my patreon.com/thecreativepenn where people pay $2 (or more) a month, so even a small revenue per person results in a better outcome over the year, as it is consistent monthly income with no advertising. But what if you could make $20 profit per book? That is entirely possible if you're producing high quality hardbacks on Kickstarter, or bundle deals of audiobooks, or whole series of ebooks. You would only need to sell to 50 people to make $1000. What about $100 profit per sale, which you can do with a small course or live event? You only need 10 people to make $1000, and this in-person focus also amplifies trust and fosters human connection. I've found the intimacy of my live Patreon Office Hours and also my webinars have been rewarding personally, but also financially, and are far more memorable — and potentially transformative — than a pre-recorded video or even another book. From the LinkedIn 2026 Big Ideas article: “In an AI-optimized world, intentional human connection will become the ultimate luxury.” The 1000 True Fans model is about serving a smaller, more personal audience with higher value products (and maybe services if that's your thing). As ever, its about niche and where you fit in the long long long long long tail. It's also about trust. Because there is definitely a shortage of that in so many areas, and as Adam Mosseri of Instagram has said, trust will be increasingly important. Trust takes time to build, but if you focus on serving your audience consistently, and delivering a high quality, and being authentic, this emerges as part of being human. In an echo of what happened when online commerce first took off, we are back to talking about trust. Back in 2010, I read Trust Agents: by Julien Smith and Chris Brogan, which clearly needs a comeback. There was a 10th anniversary edition published in 2020, so that's worth a read/listen. Chris Brogan was also on this show in 2017 when we talked about finding and serving your niche for the long term. That interview is still relevant, here's a quick excerpt, where I have (lightly edited) his response to my question on this topic back in 2017: Jo: The principle of know, like, and trust, why is that still important or perhaps even more important these days? Chris: There are a few things that at play there, Joanna. One is that the same tools that make it so easy for any of us to start and run a business also allow certain elements to decide whether or not they want to do something dubious. And with all new technologies that come, you know, there's nothing unique about these new technologies. In the 1800s, anyone could put anything in a bottle and sell it to you and say, this is gonna cure everything. Cancer — gone. And the bottle could have nothing in. You know, it could be Kool-Aid. And so, the idea of trying to understand what's behind the business though, one beautiful thing that's come is that we can see in much more dimensions who we're dealing with. We can understand better who's the face behind the brand. I really want people to try their best to be a lot clearer on what they stand for or what they say. And I don't really mean a tagline. I mean, humans don't really talk like that. They don't throw some sentence out as often as they can that you remember them for that phrase. But I would say that, we have so many media available to us — the plural of mediums — where we can be more of ourselves. And I think that there's a great opportunity to share the ‘you' behind the scenes, and some people get immediately terrified about this, ‘Ah, the last thing I want is for people to know more about me,' but I think we have such an opportunity. We have such an opportunity to voice our thoughts on something, to talk about the story that goes behind the product. We were all raised on overly produced material, but I think we don't want that anymore. We really want clarity, brevity, simplicity. We want the ability for what we feel is connection and then access. And so I think it's vital that we connect and show people our accessibility, not so that they can pester us with strange questions, but more so that you can say, this person stands with their product and their service and this person believes these things, and I feel something when I hear them and I wanna be part of that.” That's from Chris Brogan's interview here in 2017, and he is still blogging and speaking at writing at ChrisBrogan.com and I'm going to re-listen to the audiobook of Trust Agents again myself as I think it's more relevant than ever. The original quote comes from Bob Burg in his 1994 book, Endless Referrals, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” That still applies, and absolutely fits with the 1000 True Fans model of aiming to serve a smaller audience. As Kevin Kelly says in 1000 True Fans, “Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum bestseller hits, blockbusters, and celebrity status, you can aim for direct connection with a thousand true fans.” “On your way, no matter how many fans you actually succeed in gaining, you'll be surrounded not by faddish infatuation, but by genuine and true appreciation. It's a much saner destiny to hope for. And you are much more likely to actually arrive there.” In 2026, I hope that more authors (including me!) let go of ego goals and vanity metrics like ranking, gross sales (income before you take away costs), subscribers, followers, and likes, and consider important business numbers like profit (which is the money you have after costs like marketing are taken out), as well as number of true fans — and also lifestyle elements like number of weekends off, or days spent enjoying life and not just working! OK, that's my list of trends and predictions for 2026. Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you agree? Am I wrong? What have I missed? The post 2026 Trends And Predictions For Indie Authors And The Book Publishing Industry with Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

The Ladies of MACABRE have given a lot of thought to what their last meals would be if they were on death row? Join Blaire and Halley as they discuss last meals chosen by some of the most famous serial killers. Who had the biggest meal? Who's was the most expensive? Who refused to eat? Find out more on this unhinged, EXHUMED Patreon episode. Want more exclusive content just like this? Join our exclusive Spotify feed for ad free and early listening. Or join us over on Patreon for even more content, bonus episodes, and after dark shenanigans. Listener discretion is very advised.

Ah, there you are. Unknown Broadcast returns with old-time radio horror stories, classic OTR, and radio suspense for those who like the dark close and the volume low, my dear. Tonight the valves warm and the quiet learns to talk:

Weekly Spooky rings in the new year with a New Year's Eve horror story that spirals into a Y2K nightmare—and it all starts with a stupidly simple discovery: crank two radios loud enough, hit the right tone, and you can rip open a hole in time.Sixteen-year-old Jimmy and his cousin Phillip start pulling lost junk from the void… until grief turns curiosity into obsession. One phone call becomes a lifeline. One step through the portal becomes a disaster. And one panicked, brain-melting decision in the past causes a chain reaction that detonates reality right at midnight.Now it's New Year's Eve, the world is collapsing into alternate timelines, and a surreal broadcast announces the unthinkable: a monstrous new order has arrived… and Jimmy's become the accidental saint of the apocalypse. Expect time travel gone wrong, cosmic horror comedy, end-of-the-world chaos, and a ticking-clock sprint through broken history where every “fix” makes things weirder.Hit play, kill the lights, and welcome to a New Year's episode where the ball doesn't drop—reality does. Dare you to make it past 11:59.Saint Jimmy — by Dan Wilder

In the final episode of 2025, Zack Cherry (Youtuber, host of The Cherry Picker) reunites with Ryan for the first time in almost two years. Ryan and Zack discuss the Scream 7 trailer, philosophy on Scream, and currents events within the franchise. Then, Zack discusses his new project, "Macabre", and they review horror films released alongside Scream 3 in the year of 2000, that celebrated their 25th anniversaries this year: What Lies Beneath, American Psycho, Final Destination, etc. To close out the episode, Ashley joins Ryan to cover "New Year's Day" for the final Taylor Swift Song of 2025. Scream Talk  Scream 7 Trailer Zack's New Project 2000 in Horror  "New Year's Day" Follow us @ScreamWithRCS at Instagram, Facebook, and X. Taylor Swift Song of the Day: "New Year's Day"

On this episode of MACABRE Exhumed, we've dug up an episode of the spooky kind. This episode is all about our beloved first responders who are trained to face chaos, tragedy, and death—but some experiences fall far outside the boundaries of logic and reason. In this episode, we explore chilling accounts of the paranormal from first responders and healthcare workers .Spotify exclusive feed subscribers get ad free content, early access and exclusive bonus episodes .Paid supporters on Patreon, Join us for Macabre Movie Nights and Game Nights :⁠⁠⁠⁠ Macabre Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠Send in your stories for a future listener episode!Email us at thatssomacabre@gmail.comJoin our private Facebook Group at :⁠⁠⁠⁠ MacabrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Macabre Exclusive Merch ⁠⁠ www.gothiccthreads.com

On this episode, Levi Leland rejoins the podcast for the first time since his last appearance on episode 191. Levi catches us up on everything that has happened since episode 191 aired in August of 2024. He discusses the release of his book, Edgar Allan Poe The Master of the Macabre, which is apart of the Pocket Portraits series. Levi dives into how this opportunity came to be and walks us through how he actually wrote the book. We talk about the importance of preparation and how it's key to be ready for possible opportunities. Also, Levi explains how he's handled all of the publicity around the book and even dealing with some negative feedback. Join us in this authentic conversation on Poe, writing, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/dxOr0Dn Levi Leland's "Edgar Allan Poe - The Master of the Macabre": https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Edgar-Allan-Poe/Levi-Lionel-Leland/Pocket-Portraits/9781507224137

Santa Claus is supposed to bring joy and gifts — but these killers used the beloved red suit to bring terror and death. From Christmas party massacres to serial killers hiding behind the jolly disguise, these are the true crimes that prove not every Santa belongs on the nice list.IN THIS EPISODE: A Christmas party turns tragic when a young bride suggests a game of hide-and-seek… then disappears for fifty years. (The Bramshill Bride) *** When you hear someone mention the headless horseman it's almost impossible not to think of the New England story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – a classic Halloween tale if there ever was one. But then there is the Christmas tale of another headless horseman as well – this one in Old England - and he makes an appearance each Christmas at Wycoller Hall. (The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall) *** A husband invites his wife into the room and asks her to closer her eyes for a Christmas surprise. The surprise is that she will never open her eyes ever again. (A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting) *** A mother is terrified when her daughter tells of a young girl who wants to play with her – but she also appears to be dead. (Ghostly Warnings) *** A Redditor tells a frightening story that took place one Christmas while visiting his grandmother's home. (I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again) *** To disguise oneself as the ever-generous Kris Kringle only to take life away from the innocent is simply unforgivable. Still, somehow, murders committed by people dressed up as Santa just keep happening. (Real Stories of Slaying Santas) *** (Originally aired December 13, 2021)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:02:32.764 = Real Stories of Slaying Santas00:13:13.162 = *** Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall00:17:50.071 = Terrifying Holiday Traditions00:24:32.826 = The Bramshill Bride00:30:36.878 = *** Ghostly Warnings00:33:44.965 = A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting00:37:27.296 = I Will Never Visit Grandma Again00:45:29.315 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakSOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Real Stories of Slaying Santas” by Jake Black for Ranker.com's Unspeakable Times:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ypav4v68, and Katee Fletcher for Thought Catalog:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4m8ur6tr“The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall” from Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckp22x9“Terrifying Holiday Traditions” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3sv6kk6y“The Bramshill Bride” from BurialsAndBeyond.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxf6sf86“Ghostly Warnings” by Kathi Kresol from HauntedRockford.com“A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting” from ABC News: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2kcny9kz“I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again” by Redditor u/rikndikndnkn123, posted at Bugged Space:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5bujx5np= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =#WeirdDarkness #TrueCrime #KillerSanta #ChristmasCrimes #HolidayHorror #DarkChristmas #SantaKiller #CreepyChristmas #TrueCrimeStories #Macabrehttps://weirddarkness.com/KillerSantas

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate the disappearance of a young woman. Their investigation draws them into the legend of a ghostly, hellish hound said to haunt the moors around the Baskerville estate, and they must unravel whether the curse-hound is real or part of a darker human plot. | “The Hound of the Baskervilles” from CBS Radio Mystery Theater | #RetroRadio EP0564CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Hound of the Baskervilles” (March 01, 1977)00:46:04.670 = Mystery Is My Hobby, “Bullets Make Holes” (April-March 1947) ***WD01:09:55.841 = Sherlock Holmes, “The Stuttering Ghost” (October 12, 1946) ***WD01:38:35.450 = House of Mystery, “Haunters and Haunted” (June 13, 1945) ***WD01:52:56.393 = Incredible But True, “The Constable's Companion” (1951)01:56:31.747 = Inner Sanctum, “Tell-Tale Heart” with Boris Karloff (August 03, 1941) ***WD02:23:08.846 = The Key, “Two Timed” (1956)02:47:47.481 = Lights Out / Everyman's Theater, “Baby” (March 28, 1941) ***WD03:12:15.680 = Lux Radio Theater, “Sorry, Wrong Number” (January 09, 1950) ***WD04:11:54.560 = Macabre, “Edge of Evil” (January 08, 1962) ***WD04:41:54.162 = Philip Marlowe, “Open Window” (October 08, 1949)05:11:17.819 = Show Close(ADU) = Air Date Unknown(LQ) = Low Quality***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music LibraryABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.= = = = =#ParanormalRadio #ScienceFiction #OldTimeRadio #OTR #OTRHorror #ClassicRadioShows #HorrorRadioShows #VintageRadioDramas #WeirdDarknessCUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0564

“EXORCISM” by Ray Bradbury | When her mailman husband delivered a package of forbidden books to the woman up the street, Elmira Brown finally had proof of what she'd suspected all along — and she wasn't about to let a witch win another election.IN THIS EPISODE: The name Ray Bradbury immediately brings to mind such fictional tales – classics, many of them… some of which I've narrated here in the podcast such as “The Jar”, “Skeleton”, and “The Small Assassin.” But as good as Bradbury was at writing about the paranormal, he could also write comedy – and in tonight's story he combines the two. “Exorcism” is a fun short tale about a nosy housewife who suspects an older woman in town is studying to become a witch… and decides to confront the old lady to voice her disapproval. SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“Exorcism” by Ray Bradbury, from the book “The Stories of Ray Bradbury” from Rosetta Books:https://amzn.to/49nrJTGWeird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = =Originally aired: December 05, 2024CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/ExorcismRayBradburyABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#WeirdDarkness #RayBradbury #Exorcism #WitchStory #HorrorComedy #ClassicFiction #Witchcraft #ParanormalFiction #VintageHorror #ShortStory

A lonely widower's heart stops after a woman with his dead wife's face and name walks into a bar — and he wakes up strapped to a chair as the unwilling contestant on a horrifying game show in Purgatory.IN THIS EPISODE: “N.D.E.” (“Where To Next?”) by Luther KrossSOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“N.D.E.” (short horror fiction) by Luther Kross: https://www.facebook.com/lutherkross=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: June 2022EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/WhereToNextABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#WeirdDarkness #NearDeathExperience #IDiedAndCameBack #Purgatory #Afterlife #HorrorStory #CreepyStory #Paranormal #ScaryStory #WhatHappensWhenYouDie

This Thanksgiving, The Box of Oddities serves up the strangest feast imaginable: a curated collection of our wildest, weirdest, and most unbelievable stories involving real cannibals, bizarre survival tales, and historical accounts that are far too dark for the dinner table—but perfect for Freak Family listening. In Volume 1, Kat and Jethro revisit fan-favorite episodes featuring: True stories of cannibalism throughout history Shocking cases of survival cannibalism in the world's most unforgiving places Macabre cultural lore that blurs the line between myth and horrifying reality Odd historical figures whose appetites landed them in the pages of medical journals The psychology of cannibals and what makes these cases so deeply fascinating Expect dark humor, unbelievable facts, and the signature BOO blend of horror, history, and hilarity. Whether you're prepping a turkey or hiding from your relatives, this specially curated Thanksgiving collection is the perfect way to indulge in something truly twisted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a radio horror writer spends seven days obsessing over his most terrifying creation, he discovers too late that some monsters refuse to stay confined to the page. | “The Author And The Thing” from Lights Out | #RetroRadio EP0556CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Recluse” (February 10, 1977)00:46:45.245 = Lights Out, “The Author And The Thing” (September 28, 1943)01:09:54.998 = Lux Radio Theater, “Smilin Through” (January 05, 1942)02:08:20.526 = Macabre, “The Crystalline Man” (January 01, 1962) ***WD02:36:41.438 = Philip Marlowe, “Tale of the Mermaid” (October 01, 1949)03:06:02.483 = Have Gun Will Travel, “Monster On Moon Ridge” (March 08, 1959)03:29:42.282 = The Black Mass, “A Country Doctor” (August 14, 1964)03:53:41.585 = Beyond Midnight, “A Night In Murders Den” (January 31, 1969) ***WD04:19:48.070 = MindWebs, “EnPassant” and “DreamWorld”04:47:14.003 = Show Close(ADU) = Air Date Unknown(LQ) = Low Quality***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music LibraryABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.= = = = =#ParanormalRadio #ScienceFiction #OldTimeRadio #OTR #OTRHorror #ClassicRadioShows #HorrorRadioShows #VintageRadioDramas #WeirdDarknessCUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0556