Splatter, Shadows, and Storytelling – A Deep Dive with Horror Author Robert Essig

👻 Episode Summary

In this chilling and candid episode of Ink Blots: The Author Podcast, host Rob Southgate is joined by horror master Robert Essig, whose prolific career spans over 30 books and 120+ short stories.

From his unsettling novel Disco Rice to the haunted corridors of This Damned House, Essig shares what it takes to terrify readers with nuance, depth, and disturbing imagination. The two discuss the evolution of splatterpunk, the literary value of horror, and how parenting and real life intersect with monsters on the page.

If you’re a horror writer, reader, or just fascinated by the art of fear, this episode is for you.

  📚 Explore Robert Essig’s Work:

🧠 Find Robert's books on Amazon: 👉 Robert's Author Page

🪓 Find Robert's books on Bookshop.org: 👉 Robert's Books can be purchased at Bookshop.org

🧟 What You’ll Hear

• Why splatterpunk is more than gore—it’s emotional and political

• What inspired the bizarre brilliance of Baby Fights

• The horror writer’s responsibility to the genre and audience

• How horror functions as both catharsis and commentary

• Behind-the-scenes of writing, editing anthologies, and surviving the publishing world

🧠 Notable Quotes

“I don’t write to shock—I write to reveal something awful that’s already lurking underneath.” “Sometimes the most terrifying thing is what people do to each other without a single monster in sight.”

🩸 About Robert Essig

• Author of 30+ books, including Disco Rice, This Damned House, Baby Fights

• Published in 120+ short stories

• 2-time Splatterpunk Award nominee

• Editor of 3 anthologies

• Based in East Tennessee

• Known for visceral, boundary-pushing horror with depth and voice

📚 Explore Robert’s work on Amazon

📱 Connect on Socials:

• Instagram/Facebook: @robertessig

• TikTok: @robertessig_author

• Substack: @Robert Essig

🗝️ Keywords

Robert Essig, Splatterpunk, horror fiction, indie horror, Disco Rice, Baby Fights, horror author interview, This Damned House, horror podcast, writing horror, visceral fiction, dark fiction, editing anthologies, Substack authors

📲 Hashtags

#InkBlotsPodcast #RobertEssig #Splatterpunk #HorrorFiction #DiscoRice #ThisDamnedHouse #BabyFights #HorrorAuthors #WritingHorror #IndieHorror

Entering the Mobius Mind with Andrew Najberg

In this episode of Ink Blots: Author Interviews, we step across dimensions with Andrew Najberg, the author behind cerebral and chilling works like The Mobius Door, Gollitok, and The Neverborn Thief. A master of psychological and cosmic horror, Andrew’s storytelling pulls readers into strange realms where reality unravels and fear takes hold.

We dive into:

• The inspiration behind The Mobius Door and Gollitok

• His upcoming releases from Wicked House, Crystal Lake, and Vincere Press

• The craft of balancing slow-burn horror with cosmic dread

• The themes that run through his multi-publisher portfolio

• How teaching creative writing fuels his own work

• Advice for authors navigating horror, sci-fi, and literary crossover

Whether you're a fan of genre-bending horror or a writer looking to challenge traditional form, this conversation will keep you intrigued—and unsettled.

📚 Books by Andrew Najberg include:

• The Mobius Door (2023)

• Gollitok (2023)

• In Those Fading Stars (2024)

• Try Not to Die In the Shadowlands (2024)

• The Neverborn Thief (2025)

• Extinction Dream (2025)

• Paradise Falls (co-authored, 2025)

• Dead Hearts Eat the Light (2026)

📖 Short fiction published in: Fusion Fragment, Khoreo, Translunar Travelers Lounge, Utopia Science Fiction, Psychopomp Review, and more.

  📚 Explore Andrew Najberg’s Work:

🧠 Find Andrew’s books on Amazon: 👉 Andrew's Author Page

🪓 Find Andrew’s books on Bookshop.org: 👉 Andrew's Books can be purchased at Bookshop.org

 

🔗 Connect with Andrew Najberg:

📘 Facebook: @andrewnajbergauthor 📸 Instagram: @anajberg 🐦 Twitter/X: @anajberg

🔑 Keywords:

Andrew Najberg, The Mobius Door, Gollitok, cosmic horror, speculative fiction, horror novels, psychological horror, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Try Not to Die, literary horror

🔥 Hashtags:

#AndrewNajberg #TheMobiusDoor #CosmicHorror #PsychologicalHorror #SpeculativeFiction #TryNotToDie #WickedHousePublishing #LiteraryHorror #InkBlotsPodcast #Gollitok

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Haunting the Bayou with Blaine Daigle

This week on Ink Blots: Author Interviews, we step into the eerie world of Southern Gothic horror with Blaine Daigle, a Louisiana-based author whose terrifying tales are inspired by haunted plantations, cursed woodlands, and the folklore of the Deep South. A high school English teacher by day and horror writer by night, Blaine blends literary craft with chilling storytelling rooted in the bayou's shadows.

From cursed woods to haunted minds, Blaine’s work captures the psychological and paranormal terror unique to Southern horror fiction.

📚 About Blaine Daigle

Having lived his entire life deep in the gut of Louisiana, Blaine Daigle grew up surrounded by ghost stories of haunted plantations and cursed woodlands. He still lives in Louisiana with his wife and two children and can't wait to pass on the nightmares to his kids..when they are old enough. During the day he teaches high school English. At night, he enjoys diving deep into the fears that shape and mold the world around him.

 

📚 Follow Blaine Daigle: 📘 Facebook: Blaine Daigle 📸 Instagram: @blainedaigleauthor 🐦 X (Twitter): @bdaigle_author

📚 Explore Blaine Daigle’s Work:

🧠 Find Blaine’s books on Amazon: 👉 Blaine's Author Page

🪓 Find Blaine’s books on Bookshop.org: 👉 Blaine's Books can be purchased at Bookshop.org

 

🔑 Keywords:

Blaine Daigle, Southern Gothic, horror fiction, Louisiana author, haunted stories, high school teacher author, ghost stories, cursed forests, paranormal fiction, bayou horror

🔥 Hashtags:

#BlaineDaigle #SouthernGothic #BayouHorror #HauntedLouisiana #HorrorFiction #GhostStories #IndieHorrorAuthor #InkBlotsPodcast #CursedWoods #HorrorTeacher

  📲 Follow and Share

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Ink Blots: Author Interviews to help more readers and writers discover these amazing conversations.

 

Shadows & Seasons with Kristal Shanahan

On this episode of Ink Blots: Author Interviews, we welcome Kansas-based horror author Kristal Shanahan, a high school British literature teacher by day and spine-tingling storyteller by night.

Kristal's debut collection, Four Seasons of Horror, dropped on March 27 and showcases her ability to weave chilling tales that explore the eerie edges of everyday life. Her debut novella, A Mortician’s Shadow, is set to release next month, and she has even more short stories haunting the pages of upcoming anthologies.

Whether you're a horror reader, teacher, or aspiring author, Kristal’s story will inspire—and unnerve—you in the best way.

📚 About Kristal Shanahan Based in Kansas, Kristal teaches high school British literature and writes creepy stories late at night. Her debut collection, Four Seasons of Horror was released March 27 and her debut novella, A Mortician's Shadow will be released next month. She has a few short stories in anthologies and some coming up in the near future as well.   

 

📚 Find Kristal’s Work on Amazon: 👉 amazon.com/author/ladyinhorror

 

🔗 Follow Kristal Shanahan: 📸 Instagram: @ladyinhorror_author 🎵 TikTok: @ladyinhorrorwriting 📘 Facebook: Kristal Shanahan – Author

🔑 Keywords:

Kristal Shanahan, Four Seasons of Horror, A Mortician’s Shadow, women in horror, Kansas horror author, horror fiction, debut horror writer, horror short stories, British literature, horror podcast

🔥 Hashtags:

#KristalShanahan #FourSeasonsOfHorror #AMorticiansShadow #WomenInHorror #HorrorFiction #DebutAuthor #LadyInHorror #HorrorTeacher #IndieHorror #InkBlotsPodcast

Lightning Round with R. J. Joseph

We had limited time when Rhonda sat down for an interview so we created a new show called Ink Blots: Lightning Round. What we have is a shorter, fast paced interview that is a lot of fun. Rhonda will be back on Ink Blots in a couple of weeks for a full interview, but for now, enjoy her Lightning Round!

Whether you're a horror fan, aspiring writer, or literary scholar, this episode will leave you thinking—and maybe even a little haunted.

📚 Explore R. J. Joseph’s Books on Amazon: 👉 https://tr.ee/DC9ha3tE-N

🔗 Connect with R. J. Joseph: 🌐 Website: www.rhondajacksonjoseph.com 📱 Social: @rjacksonjoseph

📸 Author Photo Credit: Sam Allen, SDA Media

📌 Keywords:

Horror fiction, R. J. Joseph, Black horror author, Shirley Jackson Award, Bram Stoker Award, women in horror, Black women in horror, speculative fiction, horror podcast, author interview, horror academia, race in horror, gender in horror, social commentary horror, Texas horror writer

📢 Hashtags:

#RJJoseph #WomenInHorror #BlackHorror #BramStokerAwards #ShirleyJacksonAward #HorrorAuthor #AuthorInterview #InkBlotsPodcast #SpeculativeFiction #DiverseVoicesInHorror #HorrorCommunity #HorrorLit #BlackSpecFic

Dystopia, Redemption, and the Human Spirit – A Conversation with Author John Cohn

📚 About John Cohn

Jon is the award winning horror and thriller novelist behind books like Slashtag, Everything is Temporary, and the Publisher's Weekly's Book Life prize winner, The Island Mother. In addition to books, he also has over a decade experience working as a designer in the board game industry, having made over 20 games including Ghostbusters: Blackout, Horror Taboo, MonsDRAWsity, Basket Case, and Thanksgiving, co-designed with Eli Roth. Keep an eye out for his upcoming Ghostland game, based on the novels by Duncan Ralston, and the official Ice Nine Kills card game. Jon Lives in San Diego with his wife Delaney, and dog Miss Cordelia Chase.

👉 View John’s books on Amazon

 

🧠 Featured Themes

• Dystopia & society collapse

• Character-driven storytelling

• Truth in fiction

• Technology and humanity

• Authorial voice & purpose

🧭 Who Should Listen

• Fans of dystopian fiction and speculative futures

• Writers looking to explore political or societal themes

• Readers of Margaret Atwood, George Orwell, or Cormac McCarthy

• Anyone interested in how fiction reflects (and warns) real life

🗝️ Keywords

John Cohn, The Thaws, dystopian fiction, speculative fiction, Ink Blots podcast, future fiction, AI and society, author interview, writing process, human resilience, societal collapse

📲 Hashtags

#InkBlotsPodcast #JohnCohnAuthor #TheThaws #DystopianFiction #AuthorInterview #WritingCommunity #SpeculativeFiction #FutureLit #BooksThatMatter #BookPodcast

From Whispered Fears to Wicked Tales – A Conversation with Elizabeth Devecchi

In this chilling and thoughtful episode of Ink Blots, host Rob Southgate is joined by Elizabeth Devecchi, a rising voice in horror whose work blends atmospheric dread, literary prose, and dark imagination. Elizabeth takes us through her journey from Rhode Island roots to recent breakout success with Wicked House Publishing and across acclaimed anthologies like Under Her Eye, Cooks of Horror, and Monsters in the Mills.

From poetry to short stories to her debut horror novel A Whisper in the Dark, Elizabeth opens up about her creative process, her favorite horror tropes, and how she explores themes of body horror, technology, and family dysfunction in her writing.

📚 Explore Elizabeth’s Work:

🕯️ Recent Releases:

• A Whisper in the Dark – [Wicked House Publishing, October 2024]

• “Oh, Brother” – Under Her Eye (Black Spot Books)

• “Mother’s Special Bread” – Cooks of Horror (Nightmare Fueled Inc, August 2024)

• “In the Belly of the Mills” – Monsters in the Mills (August 2024)

• “A Corporate Family” – Error Code (Rabid Otter Horror, November 2024)

• “Easy Pickens” – Wicked Universe (Wicked House Publishing, December 2024)

🔗 Connect with Elizabeth Online:

• 📸 Instagram: @elizabethdevecchiwrites

• 📘 Facebook: Elizabeth Devecchi – Author

• 🌐 Website: www.elizabethdevecchi.com/

🔍 Episode Keywords:

Elizabeth Devecchi, horror author, women in horror, A Whisper in the Dark, Wicked House Publishing, horror poetry, horror anthologies, tech horror, atmospheric horror, body horror, speculative fiction, literary horror, emerging authors, horror fiction, writing process, dark fiction, author interview

📢 Hashtags:

#ElizabethDevecchi #WomenInHorror #HorrorAuthor #WickedHousePublishing #AWhisperInTheDark #HorrorAnthology #SpeculativeFiction #DarkFiction #BodyHorror #AtmosphericHorror #TechHorror #AuthorInterview #InkBlotsPodcast #IndieHorror #HorrorWriters #WritingTips

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From Covers to Creeps – A Conversation with Joey Powell

In this episode of Ink Blots, host Rob Southgate talks with multitalented horror creator Joey Powell — a writer, publisher, cover designer, and actor whose passion for the weird and wicked spans from bookshelves to film sets. Joey shares how his day job in tech fuels his late-night obsession with horror fiction, and how that energy comes to life in his stories, short films, and the books he brings to life through Mad Axe Media.

We dive into Joey’s creative process, indie publishing, and how designing book covers informs his storytelling. Plus, he reflects on acting in award-winning horror shorts, and the storytelling power of visuals in both print and film.

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📚 Explore Joey Powell’s Work:

🧠 Find Joey’s books on Amazon: 👉 Joey Powell Author Page

🪓 Visit Mad Axe Media: 👉 www.madaxemedia.com

🔗 Connect with Joey Online:

• 📸 Instagram: @wowcooljoeywrites | @madaxemedia

• 📘 Facebook Author Page: Follow here

🔍 Episode Keywords:

Joey Powell, horror author, indie horror, horror book covers, Mad Axe Media, horror publishing, indie press, horror film, short horror, cover design, writing horror, author interview, horror stories, visual storytelling, writing community, self-publishing horror

📢 Hashtags:

#JoeyPowell #HorrorAuthor #MadAxeMedia #IndieHorror #HorrorPublishing #BookCoverDesign #SelfPublishing #ShortHorrorFilms #IndieAuthor #WritingTips #DarkFiction #WeirdFiction #InkBlotsPodcast #CreepyStories #HorrorCommunity #PodcastForWriters

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Fear, Film, and Fiction – A Conversation with James Kaine

This week, host Rob Southgate descends into the chilling world of horror with bestselling author, publisher, and filmmaker James Kaine. From his roots in Trenton, NJ to becoming a #1 Amazon horror author, James shares how his passion for visceral storytelling, cinema, and fear fuels his work — including his acclaimed novel The Dead Children’s Playground, which Publisher’s Weekly’s BookLife praised as a read that “will chill readers to the bone.”

As the founder of Horror House Publishing and a pro member of the Horror Writer’s Association, James dives deep into what makes horror stick, how to keep readers up at night, and what it means to write stories that linger long after the last page.

🔖 About James Kaine   James Kaine is a bestselling author, publisher and filmmaker born and raised in Trenton, NJ. An active pro member of the Horror Writer’s Association, he brings readers visceral, haunting tales of terror via his Horror House Publishing imprint. BookLife by Publisher’s Weekly proclaimed his novel, The Dead Children’s Playground, “will chill readers to the bone.” The book, the first in his American Horrors anthology series, has been a number 1 bestseller in U.S. Horror on Amazon, a reader selection for the 2025 Books of Horror Indie Brawl and is being translated into multiple languages, bringing James’s cinematic style of scary storytelling to a global audience.

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📚 Check Out James Kaine’s Books

🩸 Explore his terrifying tales and #1 bestseller The Dead Children’s Playground on Amazon: 👉 James Kaine's Amazon Author Page

🔗 Connect with James Kaine Online:

• 📘 Facebook: @JamesKaineWrites

• 📸 Instagram: @JamesKaineWrites

• 🐦 Twitter/X: @JamesKaineBooks

🔍 Episode Keywords:

James Kaine, horror author, The Dead Children’s Playground, indie horror, psychological horror, horror writing tips, cinematic storytelling, horror fiction, Horror House Publishing, American Horrors, horror novels, indie publishing, Books of Horror, horror interviews, writing process

📲 Like What You Heard?

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and share Ink Blots: Author Interviews so you never miss a chilling conversation with today’s most creative authors.

📢 Hashtags:

#JamesKaine #HorrorAuthor #IndieHorror #DeadChildrensPlayground #HorrorWritersAssociation #HorrorBooks #ScaryStories #AuthorInterview #VisceralHorror #IndieAuthors #HorrorFiction #InkBlotsPodcast #HorrorCommunity #WritingTips #CinematicStorytelling

Epidemiology Meets Terror – A Conversation with Viggy Parr Hampton

In this electrifying episode, host Rob Southgate sits down with the multi-talented Viggy Parr Hampton, MPH — a horror author, epidemiologist, podcast host, and digital storyteller who's redefining what it means to be a modern horror writer.

Known for titles like A Cold Night for Alligators, Much Too Vulgar, and The Rotting Room, Viggy brings an analytical eye and biting humor to her stories. She talks about how her background in public health shapes her unique brand of horror fiction, why humor and fear go hand-in-hand, and how her projects like the podcast Horror Humor Hunger and YouTube’s Tag Team Tales of Terror are pushing the genre in exciting new directions.

Whether you're into body horror, satirical scares, or apocalyptic tension grounded in science, this episode is a must-listen.

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📚 Explore Viggy’s Work:

🧠 Check out her books and podcast:

• Amazon Author Page

• Podcast: Horror Humor Hunger

• Website

• Linktree – One place for everything

🔗 Connect with Viggy Online:

• 📸 Instagram: @viggyparrhampton

• 🐦 Twitter/X: @viggyhampton

• 📘 Facebook Author Page: Follow here

🔍 Episode Keywords:

Viggy Parr Hampton, horror author, body horror, satirical horror, horror podcast, horror writing tips, women in horror, epidemiology in fiction, speculative fiction, indie author, social horror, DreadPop Magazine, Tag Team Tales of Terror, Horror Humor Hunger, public health and storytelling, dark fiction, horror humor, multimedia horror

📢 Hashtags:

#ViggyParrHampton #HorrorAuthor #WomenInHorror #IndieHorror #EpidemiologyInFiction #TagTeamTalesOfTerror #TheRottingRoom #MuchTooVulgar #AColdNightForAlligators #DarkFiction #SatiricalHorror #PublicHealthHorror #HorrorPodcast #InkBlotsPodcast #WritingTips #StorytellersOfInstagram #HorrorHumorHunger

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