Taming Monsters with Dirty Rotten Bill

William J. Donahue
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Writers, artists, and other creators discuss their work, and how art–books, music, and more–helped them through some of the most challenging times of their lives.

  1. Candace Nola: Uncomfortably Dark, Unceasingly Kind

    JAN 22

    Candace Nola: Uncomfortably Dark, Unceasingly Kind

    “If you want something done, give it to a busy person.” The saying certainly applies to Candace Nola, an award-winning horror writer, editor, and publisher, among other designations. She’s also exceptionally goodhearted, as proven by the time and energy she devotes to building community and otherwise helping her writerly peers through her platform, Uncomfortably Dark Horror. She leaves few stones unturned in this wide-ranging conversation, including the thread that connects all her stories, the pain and power of grief, and how she finds balance amid the chaos of daily life.

    53 min
  2. The Many Lives of Daemon Manx

    12/18/2025

    The Many Lives of Daemon Manx

    Horror author, publisher, musician, influencer, someone who eagerly shares his personal story about his years-long saga of addiction, recovery, and reinvention—the man known as Daemon Manx wears a lot of hats. In this episode, Manx discusses the incident that upended his life—saved his life, he would say—and put him not only on the path to recovery but also toward becoming one of the most prominent voices in indie horror. He also talks about his work, including The Ojanox series and the recently released Abigail: The Terrible Twos, a sequel to his 2021 novel, and why his platform of positivity has resonated with so many people.

    50 min
  3. Whispers in the Dark With Steve Capone, Jr.

    12/04/2025

    Whispers in the Dark With Steve Capone, Jr.

    As far as writers go, Steve Capone, Jr. defies easy description. His 2024 novel Max in the Capital of Spies is a YA Cold War thriller, with a side of time travel, though he’s perhaps best known for his work in horror. As the founder of Whisper House Press, he has published anthologies such as Dread Mondays and Costs of Living. In this episode, he details the lessons he learned by running his own press, the benefits of writing across genre lines, and why he doesn’t like to be scared. He also opens up about the perils of being a teacher in 2025, and the importance of doing his part to “repair the world.”

    1h 7m
  4. Breaking Bread (and Bones) With Richard Shifman

    11/13/2025

    Breaking Bread (and Bones) With Richard Shifman

    Bucks County, Pennsylvania-based writer Richard Shifman made quite an impression with his story “Mayo Monday,” an insanely compelling piece of weird fiction published by Cosmic Horror Monthly in 2023. He added to his wide-ranging body of work earlier this year with Paper Airplane, Broken Bones, a coming-of-age novel published under the name R.B. Shifman. In this episode, Shifman talks about the early experiences that shaped his life and influenced his work, why corporate environments and horror go hand in hand, and quite a bit more.

    57 min
  5. Lisa Hodorovych Lives the Dream of a Writer’s Life

    10/23/2025

    Lisa Hodorovych Lives the Dream of a Writer’s Life

    Lisa Hodorovych is living her dream as a writer of horror and horror romance. She opens up about the things that scare her, the publishing empire she’s building to help others breathe life into their writing, and the details of her own work—namely, the novels The Disappearance, He’s Here, and Vampire From Hell, Vol. 1. Other points addressed in our discussion: facing and overcoming rejection, lingering scars from the movies of her childhood, the never-ending joys of kaiju, and much more.

    41 min
  6. Gary Frank: Storyteller, Dungeon Master, Monster Maker

    08/28/2025

    Gary Frank: Storyteller, Dungeon Master, Monster Maker

    Take a seat with Gary Frank, whose published works include the novels Institutional Memory, The Thing in the Woods, and Forever You Will Suffer. In this episode he talks about Godzilla, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and some of the other things that have ignited his imagination as a storyteller. Other points discussed in our hour-long discussion: his love of Dungeons & Dragons, how he copes when the world around him gets too heavy, and the inspiration he gets from being part of a community of writers at industry conventions.

    58 min
  7. The Order of Ef Deal

    07/31/2025

    The Order of Ef Deal

    Ef Deal’s fantastic Twins of Bellesfées series—Esprit de Corpse, Aeros & Heroes, and The Order of Duval—reimagines the landscape of 19th century France with shapeshifters, vampires, and all manner of retrofuturistic technology. She talks about why she chose that time and place to give life to her brand of horror-infused steampunk, what it was like to grow up in a haunted house, and the “wonderful letter” that made her think she would never be a published novelist; lucky for us, she kept going anyway.

    1h 1m
  8. Marcus Versace: Heaven and Hell

    07/03/2025

    Marcus Versace: Heaven and Hell

    Marcus Versace’s love of heavy metal and hard rock began at an early age. He had talent of his own and had long thought about joining a band, but the voices of doubters—including his own—convinced him otherwise. All that changed when he turned 50, when he and a few fellow metalheads founded the band that would become Blast Furnace, which he calls “the greatest midlife crisis a guy could have.” He talks about the musicians who inspired him, the songs that got him through life’s most tumultuous times, and the gift of making music with other people.

    1h 9m
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Writers, artists, and other creators discuss their work, and how art–books, music, and more–helped them through some of the most challenging times of their lives.

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