Lucas Mangum is the author of Flesh and Fire and the upcoming Gods of the Dark Web. On this episode, we talk about his time as a 911 operator, the extremity of horror, manifesting vs. exorcising, Kenneth Grant, good writing being unnecessary for a good book, James Patterson, Brian Keene, pretentious books, characters needing to want something, confidence vs. talent, the philosophy of Beavis and Butthead, the spirit of a work not wanting to give you satisfaction, unauthorized novella adaptations of films, Marilyn Manson, and knee-jerk reactions.