Darkness Dwells

This episode, Jason and Michael talk with Gwendolyn Kiste and delve into her work. They discuss The Rust Maidens along with the stories in And Her Smile Will Untether The Universe. They also discuss her independent filmmaking career, writing about relationships, and how to nail down enough ambiguity without losing the reader.

Then Jason and Michael discuss the 2017 French movie, Raw.

Visit Gwendolyn online: http://www.gwendolynkiste.com/

Visit Darkness Dwells online: www.wheredarknessdwells.com

Music heard: Night Child by Electric Wizard

Time:

Intro: 00:00

Gwendolyn Kiste Interview: 00:07:48

Raw Discussion: 01:09:30

Thanks for listening, everyone! If you enjoyed the episode, please consider leaving a review on iTunes or Stitcher.

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Main Gwendolyn Kiste Questions And Topics:

1. I was reading an interview with you in Black Static where you discussed your childhood. You mentioned locking yourself away and reading books on weekends and over the summer break. I can certainly relate! What were those books you read back then, and which ones made you want to become a writer?

2. You also mentioned that you were an independent filmmaker earlier on? What movies?

3. Is this a career path you’re still pursuing at all?

4. Are there any movies you’d say influenced your writing?

5. You write beautifully about friendships in your fiction, so I’m guessing that you must have had some close friends growing up?

6. A lot of your stories have a strong sense of loss and longing. Without my being too nosy, I was wondering why these themes attract you?

7. Your Fiction is a little difficult to classify. I hesitate at calling it weird fiction because there’s certainly horror in there. If you were to classify your fiction, what would it be?

8. Were you surprised when the HWA nominated your collection, AND HER SMILE WILL UNTETHER THE UNIVERSE, for a Stoker?

9. The Clawfoot Requiem, which is in Untether the Universe, has one of the strongest openings I’ve ever read. How did you come to write that one?

10. The Man in the Ambry reminded me of older, classical ghost stories, though we never really know what exactly is going on. That kind of ambiguity gets me excited. It’s immersive for the reader, involving them. Some readers want things explained for them, though. Considering a lot of the fiction of yours I’ve read hold that mystery or ambiguity, I was wondering if you get any negative feedback for it?

11. Ambiguity is tough to get right. I think that you handle it perfectly because it feels like the answers are all there, and the more you think about it, the more unsettling it feels. When writing, how do you figure out what information to let the reader in on and what to let them try and figure out for themselves to achieve this?

12. How many drafts do you typically go through before you feel a story is complete?

13. All the stories in Untether the Universe that I’ve read (I’m only at the halfway mark at this time) have a very original feel to them. How do you keep each story fresh?

14. Although you grew up in a small town in Ohio, your debut novel, The Rust Maidens, is about a young woman who grew up in the decaying industrial part of Cleveland. Part of the rust belt. Was Cleveland close to where you grew up? And are there any similarities between your own childhood and that of Phoebe Shaw’s?

15. There’s so much truth-telling in Rust Maidens. So much symbolism. I truly think that it would do well being taught in high schools not just because of the symbolism, but also the historical aspects of unions and industrial battles we saw taking place in the late 1970s and early 1980s. What was the research like?

16. Did you set out to write a book with these deep, sociological themes?

17. There’s also some really good scary scenes. Like where our hero is stuck in a mansion. Very creepy! How do you approach creating scenes that scare the reader?

18. I mentioned Black Static earlier. With them, you published the short story Songs To Help You Cope When Your Mom Won't Stop Haunting You And Your Friends, which is related to Rust Maidens. Which story came first?

19. I love the song choices you list in that story. Do you listen to music while writing?

20. You’ve also have a novella you released with Broken Eye Books in 2017. It’s called Pretty Marys All in a Row. I have not read this one yet but plan to ASAP. Can you tell us what it’s about?

21. February is, as you know, women in horror month. You’ve been writing a series about women horror writers on your blog, called Fear and the Feminine, where you interviewed women horror writers. Can you tell us more about this project?

22. I think that horror and science fiction is where women writers are most often forgotten or dismissed as serious writers. Why is it this way in your opinion?

23. What do you think we can do to help educate readers that there are women who not only write horror, but write it well?

24. What advice would you give young women writers just starting out?

25. Where can readers find you online?

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RAW 2017

Director:

 Julia Ducournau

Writers:

Julia Ducournau (screenplay)

Stars: 

Garance Marillier - as Justine

Ella Rumpf - as Alexia

Rabah Nait Oufella - as Adrien

Synopsis:

Justine is a first-year veterinary student. Her elder sister is studying the same course at the university. Justine was raised a strict vegetarian but, as part of the hazing rituals, is forced to eat meat. Initially this has adverse effects but she soon develops a craving for meat...particularly human flesh.

This episode Jason and Michael have a chat with Doungjai Gam, discussing her collection of short fiction and poetry, Glass Slipper Dreams, Shattered. They also discuss how to write flash fiction, how to make shorter pieces of fiction and poetry have more of an emotional effect, going to conventions, Necon, discrimination and sexism within the community, and so much more.

Visit Doungjai online: https://doungjaigam.wordpress.com/

Jason and Michael then discuss the new Suspiria movie and compare it to the original. Did they like it? Did they hate it? Listen in and out! Warning, there are some spoilers in the discussion. Times are below.

Time:

Intro: 00:00

Doungjai gam Interview: 5:30

Suspiria Discussion: 50:17

Suspiria Spoiler: 1:07:55 - 1:09:00

Outro: 1:20:00

Music Heard: Night Child by Electric Wizard.

Thank you for listening! Please leave a comment or an audio recording to [email protected]

You can also visit us online: www.wheredarknessdwells.com

Welcome to the show! On this episode, we welcome legendary short story writer, Steve Rasnic Tem to discuss his latest collection, out now by Omnium Gatherum. The collection is called Everything Is Fine Now, and you can purchase it with this link, or the link below. Jason and Michael discuss the stories within with Steve, how darker fiction often turns away horror fans, what makes horror fans, existential dread in fiction, love and loss, along with some great writing tips.

Then Michael and Jason discuss the 2018 reboot of the Halloween franchise staring Jamie Lee Curtis. Does it live up to Michael and Jason’s expectations? Find out!

Find Steve Rasnic Tem online: www.stevetem.com

Buy his books: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Rasnic-Tem/e/B001JRYPX6

Buy Everything Is Fine Now: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Fine-Now-Steve-Rasnic-ebook/dp/B07L9JMSQY/

Visit Omnium Gatherum: http://www.omniumgatherumedia.com/

Thanks to Steve Rasnic Tem for the wonderful conversation and thanks to you for listening in.

Music Heard: Night Child by Electric Wizard

This podcast, Jason and Michael discuss where to start if you’re interested in reading Stephen King but don’t know where to start. This is the first of our series on Stephen King, so stay tuned.

They guys also discuss how using a timer can help pump up your word count.

On this podcast, Jason and Michael talk with Mark Allan Gunnells about his new release, Diviations From The Norm, marketing strategies, being prolific and the love of writing.

Check out Mark’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HLJJ692/

His Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Allan-Gunnells/e/B005C18L7Q/

Song Heard: Night Child by Electric Wizard

On this podcast, Jason and Michael discuss how Jason outlined the novel he's working on right now including discussion on dealing with that middle slump, and then he and Michael discuss the books that influenced them most. Why? Because those books were what shaped us as both readers and writers. That's why!

Thanks for listening! Please leave a review and rating on iTunes or whatever platform you listen to u on.

This week a bit of a shorter episode, but it's a special one folks!  Jason talks with Matt Hayward about his new anthology Welcome to the Show he did with Crystal Lake Publishing, releasing Friday, August 3, 2018.

Check out the Anthologies table of contents:

Alan M Clark – What Sort of Rube

Jonathan Janz – Night and Day and in Between

John Skipp – In the Winter of No Love

Patrick Lacey – Wolf with Diamond Eyes

Bryan Smith – Pilgrimage

Rachel Autumn Deering – A Tongue like Fire

Glenn Rolfe – Master of Beyond

Matt Hayward – Dark Stage

Kelli Owen – Open Mic Night

Matt Serafini – Beat on the Past

Max Booth III – True Starmen

Somer Canon – Just to be Seen

Jeff Strand – Parody

Robert Ford – Ascending

Adam Cesare – The Southern Thing

Brian Keene – Running Free

Mary SanGiovanni – We Sang in Darkness

Song heard: Blizzard Spaceship by Apodemus

Josh Matthews, AKA Scott M. Baker, drops by to talk about his fascinating life, how to approach writing a series, pantsing vs plotting, marketing, and his Hell Gate series by Burning Willow Press. The third instalment is released just next month.

Jason and Michael then discuss the 1992 BBC film, Ghostwatch.

Visit the Hell Gate series online: http://hellgatesaga.blogspot.com 

Visit Scott Baker (Josh's real name) online: http://scottmbakerauthor.blogspot.com

Song Heard: 

Dominion/Mother Russia by Sisters of Mercy

On the 104th episode, Darkness Dwells revisits the staff of Burning Willow Press to discuss the inside scoop of what it's like running an independent publishing house. Guests include Edd and Kindra Sowder, L. Bachman, and Kerry Alan Denney. 

Visit Burning Willow Press online: https://www.burningwillowpressllc.com/

Jason and Michael then switch gears to discuss the brilliant 2018 film Annihilation.

Music Heard:

Unmask The Spectre by YOB

On this episode, Brian Barr drops by to discuss his multicreative lifestyle, including his work in prose, comics, and music. Brian was good enough to stick around and talk to Jason about the Clive Barker adaptation of The Midnight Meat Train.

Music Heard

Through the Jungle by Apodemus