Talking Horror

Rachel Redd
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Welcome to Talking Horror Podcast, where we dive into the stories that haunt us. Hosted by Rachel Redd, this show features conversations with horror and thriller authors about their books, their writing process, and what draws them into the shadows. From psychological dread to supernatural terror, we explore the dark stories readers can’t get enough of and why they are so important to fiction. Each week Rachel talks with today’s most exciting horror and thriller authors about the stories that linger long after the lights go out.

  1. hace 2 días

    Hannah Whitten turned Postpartum Depression into a NYT Bestseller

    In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten, known for the Wilderwood duology (For the Wolf, For the Throne), the Nightshade Crown trilogy (The Foxglove King), and her brand new adult horror debut, Reliquary. Hannah opens up about how she started writing For the Wolf in the grip of postpartum depression, rewrote it from the ground up at least four times, and spent five years getting it from a spell-checked first draft to a TikTok sensation. Grab your copy of Reliquary: https://amzn.to/3Q2bTbZ We dig into her childhood as a "spooky little kid" sneaking Goosebumps into her school desk, why Buffy the Vampire Slayer is "in the bedrock of her soul," the religious-trauma threads running through her work, and the Ready or Not-inspired spark behind Reliquary. Whether you're a fan of lush gothic atmosphere, slow-burn dread, a love triangle where everybody wins, or a theater kid who loves a dark twist, this conversation is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 – Buffy in the Bedrock: Where the Whimsy Comes From 00:37 – Welcome to Talking Horror & Meeting Hannah Whitten 02:18 – A Spooky Evangelical Kid Sneaking Goosebumps Into Her Desk 05:31 – Best House on the Block: Halloween & Vintage Goosebumps 07:57 – Writing Since She Could Hold a Pen 09:27 – Postpartum Depression & the Birth of For the Wolf 12:44 – Meeting Erin Craig, Edit Letters & Rewriting the Book Four Times 15:46 – From YA to Adult: The Five-Year Road to Publication 18:56 – Advice for Writers: Finish It & Be Your Own Audience 23:13 – Building the Wilderwood Duology 25:01 – Becoming a TikTok Sensation (Without Being on TikTok) 27:09 – Trolls, Doom Scrolling & the Spider-in-the-House Rule 30:48 – Melting Fairy Tales & Balancing Whimsy With Horror 35:09 – Monsters, Grief, Religious Trauma & Female Power 39:01 – Going Darker: The Nightshade Crown & a Love Triangle Where Everyone Wins 43:23 – Lore the Performer & the Theater Kid Confession 46:13 – Soft Power vs. Hard Power in Romantasy 48:14 – Writing Her First Horror: The Ready or Not Spark & a Secret 55K Draft 52:43 – Meet Claire: Her Most Challenging Protagonist 53:54 – "She's Drew Barrymore in Scream" & the Art of the Slow Burn 57:10 – Anxiety, ADHD & OCD on the Page 59:04 – A New Era? Second Horror & Hawthorne and Oak 1:01:15 – Book Recs: The Starving Saints & Coffin Moon 1:02:39 – Dark Fantasy This or That 1:05:02 – Goodbyes & Reliquary Out August 11th Connect with Hannah Whitten: Website: https://hannahfwhitten.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hwhittenwrites/ Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

    1 h 6 min

  2. 16 jun

    Nat Cassidy: Stephen King Wrote My Foreword & Why Theater Makes Better Horror

    In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with Nat Cassidy, USA Today bestselling author of Mary, When the Wolf Comes Home, and the brand-new short story collection I Know a Place, Rest Stop, and Other Dark Detours. Nat dives deep into how his background as a New York playwright and theater actor ultimately shaped his approach to pacing, dialogue, and creating deep, immersive tension on the page. We discuss his childhood memories of browsing graphic VHS covers at Blockbuster, the intentional choices behind writing a premenopausal female protagonist in Mary, and what it was like to receive a dream-come-true foreword from Stephen King. Whether you're a fan of slow-burn body horror, action-packed thrillers, or a theater kid who loves a dark twist, this conversation is for you. Timestamps:  00:00 – Podcasting Interventions & Questioning Authors  00:38 – Introducing Nat Cassidy & The Messiness of Being Alive  03:14 – Childhood Monsoons, Macabre Textbooks, and a Mother’s Horror Legacy  07:18 – The Magic of 80s Video Stores & Unexpected Scares in Kids' Movies  16:02 – Discovering Shakespeare's Macbeth & The Hyperactive Child Actor 1 9:49 – Writing Stephen King Knockoffs Set in Maine  22:39 – How Playwriting Teaches Authors to Capture and Keep an Audience 2 8:37 – Designing Tension in a Sunken Submarine with a Low Budget  35:09 – Writing Mary: Tackling Invisibility and Hormonal Thresholds  42:31 – Sensitivity Readers, Toxic Patriarchy, and the NIH Reading List  53:54 – When the Wolf Comes Home: Moving from Slow-Burn to Terminator 2 Action  1:00:08 – Receiving the Ultimate Blessing: The Stephen King Foreword 1:11:36 – I Know a Place: Public Restrooms, Squids, and Live Violin Performances  1:19:18 – The Album Experience: Why You Must Read Short Stories in Order  1:21:20 – The Ultimate Literary Bromance: Appreciating Clay McLeod Chapman  1:26:36 – Why Horror People are the Best and Most Welcoming People in Fiction Grab a copy of "I Know a Place": https://amzn.to/43VW6ih Connect with Nat Cassidy: Website: https://www.natcassidy.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natcassidy/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/natcassidy Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

    1 h 31 min

  3. 9 jun

    Unapologetic Women and Double Standards in Horror with CJ Leede

    In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with CJ Leede, author of Maeve Fly, American Rapture, and the brand-new release Headlights. CJ dives deep into how her background writing dystopian stories in grad school ultimately pushed her to seek pure catharsis and freedom through horror fiction. We discuss her childhood love for unlimited reading and media, the process of writing an unapologetic female Patrick Bateman, and exploring the dark realities of purity culture and religious trauma. Whether you're a fan of extreme splatterpunk, a romance reader who loves a dark twist, or just looking to dive into an immersive void that processes grief and loss, this conversation is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 – Grad School Revelations & Discovering Horror  00:09 – Introducing CJ Leede & Her Unapologetic Characters  03:58 – CJ's Horror Origin Story & Media Freedom as an Only Child  13:59 – Unexpectedly Landing in the "Extreme" and "Splatterpunk" Horror Space  26:30 – The Inspiration Behind Maeve Fly & Finding Catharsis in Anger  32:48 – Balancing Maeve’s Monstrous Actions with Empathy and Relatability  36:12 – The Double Standard of Justified Violence for Women vs. Men in Literature  43:44 – Exploring Purity Culture and Religious Trauma in American Rapture 48:05 – Horror as an Empathy Machine and Safe Space to Face Reality  52:30 – Finding Camaraderie and Support in the Welcoming Horror Community  55:27 – Headlights: Writing a Male Protagonist & Refusing to be Boxed In  1:01:08 – Guarding Peace and Ignoring the Pressure of External Expectations  1:03:51 – Processing Grief, Death, and Hope Through Headlights 1:08:45 – What’s Next: A Sneak Peek at Books Four and Five  1:12:19 – CJ’s Favorite Books to Reread for Inspiration  Books mentioned: Headlights: https://amzn.to/43WViJK American Rapture: https://amzn.to/3QfoCrA Maeve Fly: https://amzn.to/4dZb3pq Connect with CJ Leede: Website: https://cjleede.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cjleede TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cjleede Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

    1 h 15 min

  4. 2 jun

    Evil Video Games and Feminine Rage with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

    In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, author of The Mean Ones, Such Lovely Skin, and the upcoming dark fantasy What Feeds Below. Tatiana dives deep into how her background writing deeply personal essays about family trauma and living with her mother's ex-boyfriend ultimately pushed her to seek pure escapism through horror fiction. We discuss her childhood exposure to Resident Evil and Stephen King , the catharsis of surviving toxic male gaming lobbies , and balancing the mentally taxing world of publishing with the physical discipline of Olympic weightlifting. Whether you're a cozy gamer , a powerlifter , or just looking to dive into an immersive void filled with diabolical mushrooms, this conversation is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 – Horror as a Comfort Genre & Writing for Fun 00:36 – Introducing Tatiana Schlote-Bonne & Her Bizarre, Unsettling Worlds 02:41 – Childhood Tastes: Goosebumps, Dean Koontz, and Resident Evil 04:31 – Chasing Scares & Desensitization in Horror Movies 08:50 – From High School Family Trauma to the Iowa Non-Fiction Writing Program 16:31 – The Pivot from Memoir to Fiction During the Pandemic 19:31 – The Parallels of Writing Horror and Olympic Powerlifting 21:35 – Navigating Toxic Masculinity in Call of Duty Lobbies 27:30 – Cozy Gaming, Brain Rot, and Video Game Inspirations 32:22 – Such Lovely Skin: Demonic Video Games and Horrific Secrets 38:46 – The Mean Ones: Cults, People Pleasing, and 2000s Mean Girls 46:02 – What Feeds Below: Anime Inspiration, Diabolical Mushrooms, and Body Horror 52:23 – Adapting Voice for Protagonists & The Agony of the Publishing Industry 55:06 – Author Confessions Rapid Fire: Ghost Rom-Coms and the Dread of Starting Connect with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne: tatiana-schlote-bonne.com Instagram: @thebuffwriter TikTok: @the_buff_writer Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

    58 min

  5. 26 may

    Johanna Van Veen Writes the Sapphic Gothic Horror of Your Dreams

    In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with the brilliant Johanna Van Veen. Known for her haunting and intimate gothic novels My Darling, Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue, Johanna dives deep into how her historical fascinations and the unique dynamic of being a triplet have shaped her deeply unsettling stories. We discuss her childhood terror of reading the Dutch equivalent of Goosebumps, the catharsis of writing unlikable women and sapphic romances in traditional gothic settings, and the bizarre history of bedazzled catacomb saints. Whether you're a lover of dark folklore, a fan of emotionally complex monster-human relationships, or just looking for your next gothic horror obsession, this conversation is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome to Talking Horror & Connecting Across Time Zones 04:10 – Johanna’s Horror Origin Story: Dutch Goosebumps 07:17 – The Family Computer & Learning to Blind Type 10:25 – Drowning Fairies & Mermaid Curses: Dutch Folklore Explained 12:53 – Being a Triplet & Channeling Sibling Dynamics into Middle-Grade Fiction 15:21 – A Modern Millennial Meet-Cute: Tumblr Fanfiction 17:08 – The Tumultuous Road to Publication & Scrapped First Drafts 30:17 – My Darling, Dreadful Thing: Grief, Mediums, and Comforting Monsters 39:54 – Blood on Her Tongue: Vampires, Unlikable Women, and Forms of Hunger 45:54 – Book History, 17th-Century Gratitude Journals, and Puritans 53:28 – Power Structures & Why Queer Romance Belongs in Gothic Fiction 57:33 – Bone of My Bone: The Thirty Years' War and Bedazzled Skeletons 1:06:25 – Future Releases & Rapid-Fire Gothic Game Connect with Johanna Van Veen: Website: https://johannavanveen.com/ Instagram: @johannavanveen1997 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42245290.Johanna_van_Veen Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

    1 h 12 min

  6. 19 may

    Neena Viel Raised Her Brother in Her 20s and Turned the Nightmare Into a Horror Novel

    In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with the hilariously brilliant Neena Viel. Known for her critically acclaimed and terrifying debut Listen to Your Sister, Neena dives deep into how becoming the guardian of her teenage brother in her early 20s inspired her to craft a horror masterpiece about the realities of parentification and invisible caretaking. We discuss her childhood terror of Dean Koontz, the catharsis of writing "women behaving badly," and why she has to twerk her way through writer's block. Whether you're an oldest sibling carrying the weight of the world, a fan of morally gray characters, or just looking for your next horror obsession, this conversation is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 – The Pre-Writing Dance Routine & Twerking Through Writer's Block 00:35 – Introducing Neena Viel & Her Debut, Listen to Your Sister 01:48 – Neena’s Horror Origin Story: Dean Koontz’s Phantoms & Resident Evil 06:46 – Childhood Reading Habits: From Large Print Romance to Goosebumps 11:04 – Pursuing the Dream: "Grandma Thinks I'm a Lawyer" 12:44 – The Real-Life Inspiration: Raising a Teenager in Your 20s 14:44 – The Corporate Grind, Pandemic Writing, and "Revenge" Drafting 17:52 – Neena’s Writing Process: Pantsing, Candles, and the "Party Box" 26:22 – Navigating the Sophomore Slump & Reader Expectations 34:57 – Exploring Sibling Trauma, Dynamics, and the Hilarious Character Jamie 43:27 – Character Building: Giving Siblings Distinct Voices Using the Senses 46:37 – Balancing Humor with Dark Themes (and the Famous Shower Scene) 49:59 – The Horrors of Parentification & The Invisible Labor of Women Caretakers 57:56 – A Sneak Peek at I’ll Watch Your Baby: Morally Gray Women Behaving Badly 1:01:47 – Book 3 Preview: The Trail Provides, A Hiking Horror Satire 1:06:05 – Author Recommendations: Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, and Debuts Connect with Neena Viel: Website: https://www.neenaviel.com/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49276349.Neena_Viel (Note: As Neena mentions in the episode, she isn't on platforms like Instagram and TikTok!) Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

    1 h 10 min

  7. 12 may

    Ashley Winstead on Revenge Writing, Cults, and Toxic Ambition

    Ashley Winstead joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore how thriller and horror serve as a powerful mirror for the human condition, from the suffocating weight of hyper-competitiveness to the complex dynamics of control and submission. In this episode, Ashley and Rachel dive into: The Power of Words: How being a shy "Navy brat" moving every two years led Ashley to find companionship and an innate love for language within books. Poetry as a First Love: Why Ashley’s process remains rooted in "painterly" self-expression and the precision of prose, inspired by poets like Richard Siken and Mary Oliver. The 10-Year Hiatus: The "lore" of how a traumatic car accident and 12 MFA rejections led Ashley to quit writing for a decade while she worked in the music and TV industries. Academic Thick Skin: How the "grind" of earning a PhD in literature finally gave Ashley the resilience to face the criticism inherent in the publishing world. The "Revenge" Thriller: How being told her fantasy novel lacked plot motivated Ashley to "revenge write" her debut thriller, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, in a fugue state. Cults and Control: A deep dive into The Last Housewife and how it explores patriarchal submission and the real-life Sarah Lawrence sex cult. Faith vs. Fear: Exploring the existential and religious trauma themes in Midnight is the Darkest Hour, where faith often acts as a "bandage" for the wound of uncertainty. Grief as a Detective: How the loss of her father fueled This Book Will Bury Me and its exploration of how grief makes us susceptible to obsession and true crime sleuthing. Whether you are a "prose snob," a fan of "unreliable narrators," or an eldest daughter fueled by spite, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the grit behind the glamour of storytelling. Timestamps: 00:00 — The car accident and 12 rejections. 02:15 — Intro: Welcome Ashley Winstead to Talking Horror. 03:09 — Growing up shy: Books as an escape for a Navy kid. 05:14 — First Love: Why poetry and Richard Siken are Ashley’s "Bibles". 13:54 — The 10-year break: Music industry, Hollywood, and the PhD grind. 22:17 — Genre Hopping: From YA Fantasy to "Revenge Writing" a thriller. 32:26 — In My Dreams I Hold a Knife: Toxic ambition and 10-year reunions. 42:16 — The Last Housewife: Exploring "tradwives," submission, and cults. 55:43 — Midnight is the Darkest Hour: Religious trauma and faith as a mask for fear. 1:03:54 — This Book Will Bury Me: Processing grief through true crime obsession. 1:14:23 — Coming Soon: A sneak peek at Hot Girl Murder Club. Follow Ashley Winstead: Website: ashleywinstead.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleywinsteadbooks/ Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

    1 h 19 min

  8. 5 may

    Diana Rodriguez Wallach on the Horror of the Troubled Teen Industry

    Diana Rodriguez Wallach (award-winning author of The Silenced, Small Town Monsters and Hatchet Girls) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore how horror serves as a powerful mirror for real-world fears, from the dangers of charismatic leaders to the dark side of the troubled teen industry. In this episode, Diana and Rachel dive into: The "Psychic" Origin Story: How a chance encounter with a Salem psychic and a vivid dream launched Diana’s career as a YA author. Horror as a Social Tool: Why "the zombie is never just a zombie" and how horror allows authors to tackle heavy themes without sounding like an after-school special. The Book Banning Loophole: The surprising reason axe murders are often more "acceptable" in school libraries than stories about identity or romance. Raising Awareness: Using The Silenced to shed light on the terrifying reality of wilderness programs and therapeutic boarding schools. Dual Timelines and Gripping Hooks: Why Diana loves crafting "before and after" narratives to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The Journalist’s Eye: How Diana’s background as a reporter fuels the intense research and factual history woven into her fiction. Beyond YA: A sneak peek into Diana's upcoming adult horror short story and her "secret project" moving into adult fiction. Whether you're a fan of 90s classics like Christopher Pike, a writer looking to sharpen your craft, or a reader who loves stories that "push the boundaries," this conversation is a must-listen. Timestamps: 00:00 — A life-changing career prediction in Salem. 00:26 — Intro: Welcome Diana Rodriguez Wallach to Talking Horror. 02:15 — Double Nominations: Celebrating The Silenced at the Bram Stoker and Thriller Awards. 03:09 — Why Horror? Growing up on Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine. 04:24 — "The zombie is never just a zombie": Using horror to talk about the real world. 05:26 — The Book Banning Issue: Why "bloody axes" get a pass in the Bible Belt. 07:51 — Intentional Storytelling: Raising awareness for the troubled teen industry. 09:44 — The dual timeline obsession: Crafting Hatchet Girls and The Silenced. 12:06 — The Full Story: 9/11, hotel reporting, and the dream that changed everything. 15:59 — You can't take the journalist out of the writer: Research and factual history. 17:28 — What’s Next: Adult horror anthologies and secret projects. 19:01 — The "Training" Phase: Why authors find it hard to look back at old work. Follow Diana Rodriguez Wallach: Website: dianarodriguezwallach.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianawallachauthor/ Follow Talking Horror Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

    1 h 17 min
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Welcome to Talking Horror Podcast, where we dive into the stories that haunt us. Hosted by Rachel Redd, this show features conversations with horror and thriller authors about their books, their writing process, and what draws them into the shadows. From psychological dread to supernatural terror, we explore the dark stories readers can’t get enough of and why they are so important to fiction. Each week Rachel talks with today’s most exciting horror and thriller authors about the stories that linger long after the lights go out.

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  • Creador
    Rachel Redd
  • Años de actividad
    2 k
  • Episodios
    13
  • Clasificación
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Rachel Redd
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    Talking Horror

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