Ink Heist - A Podcast for Readers of Dark Fiction

Before we get into this week's episode, we would like to announce a giveaway for Cina Pelayo's new novel Children of Chicago, which hits shelves on March 9th via Polis Books/ Agora. Want a chance to win? Tune into this week's episode for details, though I forgot to mention that this giveaway is open to US residents only. We're super excited for the release of Cina's novel and wish you luck!

This week on the podcast, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Gemma Amor to the show to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Girl on Fire, which is out now! Also, there are mild spoilers for Girl on Fire in this episode, so if you haven't read it yet, definitely grab a copy and then come back for the episode! Girl on Fire follows Ruby Miller as she strikes out on her own for the first time, finally escaping her brutal family life and traumatic past. She hits the road in her cherry red 1989 Pontiac Bonneville but is involved in a car crash on a desolate road that alters her life forever. Girl on Fire is a jaw-droppingly awesome novel with action-packed scenes and hints at a much larger world. It's a story of revenge and redemption and if you're looking for a coming-of-age novel that subverts traditional tropes, this is a novel that you absolutely need on your shelves. It's a blazing fast read that is sure to grip you right from the first page and we can promise you that you won't forget Ruby Miller any time soon.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Jennifer Soucy to the show to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Clementine's Awakening, which is out now through Silver Shamrock Publishing! In Clementine's Awakening, Clementine starts a new job at O'Hara's Pub for a chance to start her own life and maybe make some new friends. One of her new friends is Rosemary, a young woman who was murdered and is trapped for eternity in O'Hara's. They strike up a friendship and Rosemary protects Clementine when people treat her poorly. But their friendship soon attracts a dangerous spirit, and as increasingly dangerous events take place at the pub, Clementine and Rosemary must find a way to stop him before he plunges the city into chaos. Clementine's Awakening is an exciting Southern Gothic novel that features plenty of creepy scenes and a beautifully vivid portrayal of Savannah. It's a great introduction to Jennifer's work and you'll definitely want to read it as she just signed a six book deal with Silver Shamrock Publishing!

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about her Silver Shamrock deal, ghost stories, mixing genres, writing YA, expensive booze, beta readers, upcoming projects and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Jennifer. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Beau Johnson to the show to celebrate the release of his latest collection, All of Them to Burn, which is out now through Down & Out Books! Before we jump in to describing the episode, just a note to listeners: This episode contains spoilers about Johnson's work So, listen with caution. All of Them to Burn is an addictive read that all of us at Ink Heist fell in love with as soon as we picked it up. This collection features standalone stories as well as the continuation of Bishop Rider's story. This collection is home to a wide variety of styles from brutal, gritty crime to splashes of horror and Johnson isn't afraid to play with the structures of his stories. One thing is for certain - once you pick up All of Them to Burn, you're going to want to carve out a few hours to finish it because it's damn near impossible to put down.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Beau's Book Nook, his start in crime fiction, Bishop Rider, a story about teeth, tips for writing flash, the mixing horror and crime, Down & Out, using violence in stories, "For Your Consideration", the Crime community and Beau Day, what hes reading, Brand New Dark and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Beau, who is incredibly funny and a tireless supporter of indie authors. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Jennifer Graeser Dornbush to the show to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Hole in the Woods, which is out now through Ally Press! Hole in the Woods was inspired by the 1989 true-life murder case of Shannon Siders in Newaygo County, Michigan that was solved after a cold case team was formed in 2011 and ultimately arrested, tried and convicted the killers in 2015. Jennifer uses her training in forensics to create a realistic portrayal of a criminal investigation and the level of work it takes to close cold cases. Hole in the Woods blends fiction with real-world forensics to create an emotional story about the quest for justice for victims of violent crime. Jennifer has teamed up with The Cold Case Foundation and a percentage of Hole in the Woods sales will go to the foundation.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about her background and her first investigation at age 8, early forensic science, processing the horrors of true crime, HOLE IN THE WOODS, the impact of the Shannon Siders case, the nature vs nurture debate, the forensics academy, consulting on TV, The Cold Case Foundation, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Jennifer. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Tim McGregor to the show to celebrate the release of his latest novel, Hearts Strange and Dreadful, which will be out February 15th through Off Limits Press! Hearts Strange and Dreadful is a beautifully written and engaging horror novel about a mysterious traveler who arrives in the small town of Wickstead, followed by a mysterious plague that rips through the pious town. As conditions worsen, the townspeople begin to turn on each other, they also begin to seek salvation in old superstitions. McGregor crafts an eerie atmosphere that serves as a perfect backdrop for this novel of historical small-town horror and is sure to keep you reading late into the night.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about possibly living with a ghost, historical horror, Hearts Strange and Dreadful, working with Off Limits, working in film, death superstitions, discovering indie horror, the malleability of horror, self-publishing, book recommendations, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Tim. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome E.A. Aymar to the show to celebrate the release of his latest novel writing as E.A. Barres, They're Gone, which is out now through Crooked Lane Books! They're Gone is a novel where two women's husbands are murdered on the same night. The men have different backgrounds, but they are killed in an identical way with two bullet wounds: one in the head and another in the heart. The women each begin their own search for answers, leading to a web of dark secrets and shocking discoveries that lead them to eventually find each other. As they dig deeper into the clues surrounding the death of their husbands, it put them and those they love in danger. They're Gone is packed with plenty of surprises, great characters and Aymar ratchets up the tension to create a gripping read that is sure to satisfy fans of crime fiction and thrillers. We loved this book at Ink Heist and the deeper you plunge into the mystery weaved throughout They're Gone, it becomes almost impossible to put down.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Noir at the Bar, THEY'RE GONE, working with Crooked Lane, writing under a pseudonym, notes from editors, writing violence, his story in Tough, upcoming works, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Aymar, who is incredibly funny and a great guest. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer to the show to celebrate the release of their collaborative novel, Wormwood, which is out now! Wormwood follows 14-year-old Baker Gray who just moved to Long Lake, Georgia. His mom moves a lot for work, so Baker is used to never feeling at home, constantly having to make new friends every time they have to pick up and leave. But in Long Lake, things start to change for Baker after he meets new friends Seb and the older Cassandra Larsson. For the first time, Baker feels like he fits in and that he can build a life for himself. However, Cass' idea of fun begins to blur the line between right and wrong and Baker finds himself going down a dark path he might not be able to pull away from. We are huge fans of both Chad and Tim's work, so naturally Wormwood was a highly anticipated read for us here at Ink Heist. They blend their unique styles together seamlessly and the result is an addictive, devastating story of realistic horrors that shine a light on the darkness that can reside just around the corner.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about their collaborative novel WORMWOOD, weaving their styles together, the restriction influences art theory, balancing the darkness of the story and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with them and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did!

What can be said about the awesomeness of Lisa Quigley, author of HELL'S BELLS and one half of the brilliant Ladies of the Fright Podcast? Too much to fit this space. Listen to the incredible episode. We had a blast, and you will too.

Hey, y'all, you definitely want to check out this amazing fucking episode with Jessica Leonard, author of the breakout, terrifying novel, Antioch. This author is an incredible talent and a hell of a lot of fun to talk to as well.

I'm over the moon that we saved this episode for the first of 2021. Sonora Taylor is a special writer and an amazing person. She was a blast to talk to. Author of the collection LITTLE PARANOIAS and the incredible novella, SEEING THINGS, a ghost story like you've never read before, Sonora is brilliant, engaging, educational, and not afraid of hitting me with equal swear time when she feels like it. You guys will dig this one.