One of the Kingsize family, we are joined this week by the wonderful Steph McKenna as our Survivor Type. Steph curates and creates Outsider Zine, which showcases writing and artwork by marginalised genders. Vol 1 and Vol 2 available, and they will change the way you read King. In these turbulent times, jump in here with us - the water's warm.

Freewheeling, saxophone soundtracked deep dive chat between Matt n Nat re all things Stephen King. It's our biggest Survivor Type episode yet with the award winning horror novelist Nat Cassidy, author of "Mary", "Nestlings" and the upcoming "When The Wolf Comes Home".

Our castaway this episode is none other than Hans-Åke Lilja, the curator of Lilja's Library - the Go To resource for all things King. This man is an absolute fountain of knowledge; has spoken to The King not just once but twice, and has more scoops than Brady when he masquerades as an ice cream van man in Mr Mercedes. Jump into the waves and join us !

https://www.liljas-library.com/

" I soak myself in the only terrors that can match my own, and I, often reluctantly, leave the rest to whatever shadowed future waits for us ahead".

Matt talks to the very special author and mother Elizabeth Austin about her essay "Finding Comfort In The Horror Of Stephen King's Maine" . We explore the catharsis of horror, the darkness of the monster that is cancer and the light that still shines.

TRIGGER WARNINGS - we do talk about child cancer, depression, suicide idealisation.

The Stephen King essay can be found here:

Matt and King expert Jamie Stewart keep the thrills coming your way as they join Bill Hodges in The Mr Mercedes Trilogy . King as crime writer - let's get forensic. And then back to full dark no stars with the horror of Revival, and some Bad Dreams...

The man needs no introduction from me, but I'll do it anyway. Long time friend and collaborator of Stephen King, Bev is the author of The Road To The Dark Tower and the upcoming Stephen King A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences. We get stories and exclusive scoops fit for the King.

You like it darker. We go off the beaten path and end up in a place which hits hard. Light relief thanks to our celebration of King's retweet ! And a celebration of lefties.