The Horror of Nostalgia: Chasing Ghosts in The Hollow Kind

The Horror of Nostalgia: Chasing Ghosts in The Hollow Kind

The Horror of Nostalgia: Chasing Ghosts in The Hollow Kind

The Hollow Kind author Andy Davidson on childhood, forgetting and remembering, and the subtle, melancholy horror of nostalgia. […]

Read More…

October 13, 2022 Books

The Long History (and Bright Future) of the Found Footage Horror Novel

The Long History (and Bright Future) of the Found Footage Horror Novel

The “found footage” horror story is a popular genre for filmmakers, but there’s more of it in the literary world than you’d think–Nightmare Fuel author Nina Nesseth explores this slippery subgenre. […]

Read More…

July 28, 2022 Books, On Screen

Reclaiming the “F” Word: Why We Need Fat Positivity in Horror

Reclaiming the “F” Word: Why We Need Fat Positivity in Horror

Nico Bell and Sonora Taylor, editors of Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology, lay out why we need better fat representation in horror, and how to do it right. […]

Read More…

June 23, 2022 Books, On Screen

5 Perfect Readalikes for Your Favorite Horror Movie Subgenres

5 Perfect Readalikes for Your Favorite Horror Movie Subgenres

Nightmare Fuel author Nina Nesseth suggests five novels to pair perfectly with five subgenres of horror movie, from The Bay to American Psycho. […]

Read More…

June 15, 2022 Books, On Screen

A Practitioner’s Guide to Writing Historical Horror 

A Practitioner’s Guide to Writing Historical Horror 

The Fervor author Alma Katsu on what writers need to consider when writing historical horror, from alternate outcomes to audience expectations. […]

Read More…

April 25, 2022 Books

Only the Lonely: 13 Classic Works of Isolation Horror

Only the Lonely: 13 Classic Works of Isolation Horror

Road of Bones author Christopher Golden picks 13 essential works of isolation horror, from foundational frights to modern terrors. […]

Read More…

March 3, 2022 Books

A Genre for the Individual: Bethany Clift on Accidentally Writing a Horror Novel

A Genre for the Individual: Bethany Clift on Accidentally Writing a Horror Novel

Last One at the Party author Bethany Clift explores the indefinability of horror, her own formative experiences with fear, & realizing she’d written a horror novel. […]

Read More…

October 21, 2021 Books

Frankenstein’s Manuscript, or: How to Write Satisfying Crossover Horror

Frankenstein’s Manuscript, or: How to Write Satisfying Crossover Horror

The Death of Jane Lawrence author Caitlin Starling offers writing tips for creating crossover horror that respects both genres. […]

Read More…

October 6, 2021 Books

Broken Windows to the Soul: 5 Books Featuring Eye Horror

Broken Windows to the Soul: 5 Books Featuring Eye Horror

Eric LaRocca’s most recent novella asked the question “What have you done today to deserve your eyes?” Now he rounds up five horror books about all the horrible things that can happen to your delicate eyeballs. […]

Read More…

September 7, 2021 Books

V. Castro on the Vision, Voice, and Authenticity of Chicana Horror

V. Castro on the Vision, Voice, and Authenticity of Chicana Horror

V. Castro, author of Queen of the Cicadas and Goddess of Filth, talks about her Chicana heritage, pride, and the power of owning your own experiences. […]

Read More…

May 19, 2021 Books

Becoming the Wolf: Rose Szabo on Monsters, Queerness, and Euphemism

Becoming the Wolf: Rose Szabo on Monsters, Queerness, and Euphemism

What Big Teeth author Rose Szabo writes about getting comfortable with ambiguity when it comes to horror, and when it comes to queerness. […]

Read More…

February 2, 2021 Books

When a Period is More Than Punctuation: Menstruation in Horror Fiction

When a Period is More Than Punctuation: Menstruation in Horror Fiction

The Unsuitable author Molly Pohlig examines menstruation as a turning point in her own novel, as well as Stephen King’s Carrie & Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love. […]

Read More…

October 30, 2020 Books

Gabino Iglesias on the Three Books That Made Him a Horror Fan

Gabino Iglesias on the Three Books That Made Him a Horror Fan

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “The Song of the Lady Rose” author Gabino Iglesias writes about Lovecraft, Laymon, and Quiroga. […]

Read More…

October 30, 2020 Books

Camilla Grudova on the Monstrousness of the Midcentury Woman

Camilla Grudova on the Monstrousness of the Midcentury Woman

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Ghost Bread” author Camilla Grudova writes about the tragic fates of women in midcentury horror movies. […]

Read More…

October 30, 2020 Books, On Screen

Damien Angelica Walters on Growing Up on Horror

Damien Angelica Walters on Growing Up on Horror

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Tooth, Tongue, and Claw” author Damien Angelica Walters writes about the horror books and movies of her childhood. […]

Read More…

October 29, 2020 Books, On Screen

Matthew Lyons on How Evil Dead 2 Changed His Life

Matthew Lyons on How Evil Dead 2 Changed His Life

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Blood Daughter” author Matthew Lyons writes about Evil Dead 2 opened his eyes to horror. […]

Read More…

October 28, 2020 Books, On Screen

Nibedita Sen on the Art of Restraint

Nibedita Sen on the Art of Restraint

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Pigeons” author Nibedita Sen writes about how horror can hinge on knowing when to hold back. […]

Read More…

October 28, 2020 Books, On Screen

Sunny Moraine on the Faces of a Catastrophe

Sunny Moraine on the Faces of a Catastrophe

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “If Living is Seeing, I’m Closing My Eyes” author Sunny Moraine writes about the paradox of human contact. […]

Read More…

October 27, 2020 Books

Clay McLeod Chapman on the Horrors of Parenthood

Clay McLeod Chapman on the Horrors of Parenthood

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “The Fireplace” author Clay McLeod Chapman writes about raising two young children as a horror author. […]

Read More…

October 26, 2020 Books

Brian Evenson on Drawing Fiction from a Stone

Brian Evenson on Drawing Fiction from a Stone

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “The Cabin” author Brian Evenson writes about how a mysterious archeological find evolved into a short story. […]

Read More…

October 22, 2020 Books

Shaun Hamill on Finding Your Past in Your Fiction

Shaun Hamill on Finding Your Past in Your Fiction

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author series, “Music of the Abyss” author Shaun Hamill writes a requiem for a Walkman and explains how he found himself in his fiction. […]

Read More…

October 22, 2020 Books

Indrapramit Das on the Monstrousness of the Real

Indrapramit Das on the Monstrousness of the Real

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author series, “You Will Survive This Night” author Indrapramit Das writes about the horror intrinsic to all art. […]

Read More…

October 21, 2020 Books

Cassandra Khaw on Grief, Horror, and Pain

Cassandra Khaw on Grief, Horror, and Pain

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author series, “Some Breakable Things” author Cassandra Khaw writes about grieving her father through fiction. […]

Read More…

October 21, 2020 Books

Craig Laurance Gidney on Loving a Haunted City

Craig Laurance Gidney on Loving a Haunted City

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Spyder Threads” author Craig Laurance Gidney writes the Black, queer, haunted Washington, DC, he knows. […]

Read More…

October 20, 2020 Books

Seanan McGuire on the Unsung Heyday of Horror TV

Seanan McGuire on the Unsung Heyday of Horror TV

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Emergency Landing” author Seanan McGuire writes about small scares and the heyday of 1980s TV horror. […]

Read More…

October 20, 2020 Books, On Screen

A Dark Mirror: How Horror and Crime Fiction Help Us Examine Ourselves

A Dark Mirror: How Horror and Crime Fiction Help Us Examine Ourselves

Author Gabino Iglesias argues that horror and crime fiction are uniquely suited to help us examine the thornier, darker sides of contemporary culture. […]

Read More…

October 19, 2020 Books

‘Pemi Aguda on How Language Horrifies

‘Pemi Aguda on How Language Horrifies

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Things Boys Do” author ‘Pemi Aguda writes about how horror works on the sentence level. […]

Read More…

October 19, 2020 Books

Jessica Guess on Inherited Fear, Obeah, and Unforeseen Consequences

Jessica Guess on Inherited Fear, Obeah, and Unforeseen Consequences

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Mama Tulu” author Jessica Guess writes about family influence, curses, and anger. […]

Read More…

October 16, 2020 Books

Laird Barron on Influence, Inspiration, and What Goes Bump in the Night

Laird Barron on Influence, Inspiration, and What Goes Bump in the Night

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Jōren Falls” author Laird Barron writes about the thorny issue of influence and inspiration. […]

Read More…

October 15, 2020 Books

Sarah Langan on Imagining Horror as the World Burns

Sarah Langan on Imagining Horror as the World Burns

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “The Changeling” author Sarah Langan writes about her lifelong love of horror & the real horrors of 2020. […]

Read More…

October 14, 2020 Books

T. Kingfisher on How the Short Story Sausage Gets Made

T. Kingfisher on How the Short Story Sausage Gets Made

As part of our Come Join Us By The Fire author essay series, “Origin Story” author T. Kingfisher writes about how the horror sausage gets made. […]

Read More…

October 13, 2020 Books

Shaun Hamill’s Introduction to Dark Wonder: A Syllabus

Shaun Hamill’s Introduction to Dark Wonder: A Syllabus

Shaun Hamill’s guiding concept as a writer is “Dark Wonder” – here are five short stories, novellas, and movies to get you started in this niche genre. […]

Read More…

October 8, 2020 Books, On Screen

Laugh ‘Til You Scream: David Quantick on Comedy and Horror

Laugh ‘Til You Scream: David Quantick on Comedy and Horror

Night Train author and comedy television writer David Quantick argues that horror and comedy are two sides of the same bloody, laughing coin. […]

Read More…

October 5, 2020 Books

It’s Just The Cat: Molly Tanzer On Skeptics and Believers

It’s Just The Cat: Molly Tanzer On Skeptics and Believers

Molly Tanzer writes about the tropes of the skeptic and the believer in horror fiction and in her new novel, Creatures of Charm and Hunger. […]

Read More…

April 23, 2020 Books