Mine isn’t the only Good Boy released into the world this week. You may have heard of a little film that shares my books name.

I joke – Ben Leonberger’s Good Boy is everywhere, and rightly so. It’s a haunted house movie told from the POV of Ben’s dog Indy (playing himself). It’s a magic trick of filmmaking and puppy eyes.

Ben came on the show for a generous chat about making the movie. He tells us about the technical hurdles to be jumped, the mammoth 400 day shoot, the portrayal of fear through a dog’s eyes… but mostly we talk about his bond with Indy and why we both believe dogs are the ultimate horror movie heroes.

This is a dog-lover’s delight. Happy Friday!

Enjoy

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Ah the arrogance of writers. Now I am one, officially, I thought I’d better do something fitting.

So I set up a whole episode of my podcast to talk about my own book – Good Boy! My debut novella about small English towns, the bonds between men and dogs, and a battle between bravery and monsters.

Thankfully, I have friends who will facilitate this type of nonsense, so thanks to Nat Cassidy and Rachel Harrison for asking me questions and flattering my ego.

We talk about literary and personal inspirations, about what I’ve learned from 5 years of interviewing authors, about local folklore and the composition of monsters… and of course, about dogs!

This was the greatest pleasure for me. I hope you enjoy it half as much.

Other books mentioned:

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Another day, another episode about the weird-arse end of nowhere!

We remain in the North of England for this second part of a weeklong celebration of the Northern Weird Project – six novellas published by Wild Hunt Books (including one by yours truly!).

This time it’s conversation with Matt Wesolowski, about his train-bound folkloric horror, Don’t Call Mum, Jodie Robins, with her magical seaside lament for lost youth, The Off Season, and Stephen Howard, who has sent the uncanny home into a whole new paroxysm of sorrow, withThis House is Not Haunted But We Are.

We moan about the weather. About trains. About southerners. It’s all very northern and grim.

But there are also ghosts, monsters, mad circuses and VAMPIRE RABBITS!!!

Other books mentioned:

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It’s grim up North.

But thankfully, it’s also weird. Deliciously, darkly, disturbingly weird!

This week we are celebrating the Northern Weird Project – six novellas published by Wild Hunt Books (including one by yours truly!). In this first roundtable, I’ve gathered two of the writers and the genius behind the project, Ariell Cacciola, to talk about Northern literary culture in the North, haunted landscapes, isolated oddness, and the North/South divide.

Gemma Fairclough brings The Retreat, her story of creepy wellness culture in the Lake District, and Katherine Clements has written a psycho-geographic haunting of the Yorkshire moors in Turbine 34. Yet whilst displaying the diversity of northern weirdness, these two novellas are twinned and entwined in fascinating ways.

Enjoy – there’s more coming all week.

Other books mentioned:

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What’s even real anymore?

Some of the best horror writer’s ask that question. Some, like Michael Wehunt, live in the spaces in between.

Michael’s new novel, The October Film Haunt bends reality in fascinating ways, in a story about online legend, digital demons and analog horror  – all the stuff that keeps me awake at night.

We talk about all of it, as well as formative found-footage movies, and whether we need a new ethics for online storytelling. It’s a deep, intelligent chat (just like the book).

Enjoy. Don’t open strange emails or watch unmarked VHS

WhiteFace Explained - Bloody Disgusting

I'm A Search and Rescue Office For the US Forest Service...

Other books mentioned:

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This week brings a bumper episode, cos Philip Fracassi never stops.

Since he and I last spoke, in 2022, he’s published a wealth of amazing, terrifying, heartfelt horror, emerging as a major voice, and one of

First we spend a good hour on Philips’ new novel, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre – talking about geriatric slashers, elderly protagonists and how Phil’s own loss transformed the novel. Then we take a tour through some of his other books, including the modern classic Boys in

Plus, a lot of info about future books and movie adaptations.

Enjoy! Phil is fantastic company.

Other books mentioned:

St Joseph's Orphanage - Buzzfeed Article

EVENT LINKS

Good Boy Book Launch, with Gemma Amor (October 10th) – Tickets

Powerhouse of Horror Party (October 24th) – Tickets

Creepaway Summer Camp (June 29th – July 3rd 2026) – Tickets

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Do you like your vampires slick and suave or rugged and raging?

If it’s the latter, you’ll very much enjoy KeithRosson’s Coffin Moon. It’s a 70s-set bareknuckle revenge road trip of a book, with some of the meanest vampires you’ll ever meet (and love).

Keith is back in the show for the second time in a year, to talk all about it. We get into his problem with ‘classic’ vampires aesthetics, the lure of backstory, taking hard advice from editors, and violence… a whole lotta violence!

This is a joy of a book, and a blast of a conversation.

Enjoy!

Other books mentioned:

EVENT LINKS

Good Boy Book Launch, with Gemma Amor (October

Powerhouse of Horror Party (October 24th) – Tickets

Creepaway Summer Camp (June 29th – July 3rd

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Check out the Talking Scared Merch line – at VoidMerch

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It’s walk or die this week on Talking Scared, as we’re joined by the screenwriter of The Long Walk.

JT wrote and directed 2024’s cult-hit Strange Darling, and now he’s brought his pen to bear, in finally bringing Stephen King’s beloved early novel to the screen. Along with director, Francis Lawrence, JT has created one of the best King adaptations EVER(!!) and he joins me to talk about exactly how they got this shuffling monster over the finish line.

JT tells us all about his journey from actor to writer and director and his feelings about creative control. We discuss the obvious structural hurdles that kept this film from being made for so many years. We acknowledge it’s strain of very dark humour, but also how seriously the movie contends with the threat of the gun in American life.

It’s a good conversation about an awesome movie.

Enjoy

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School is back in session. Professor Langan is here!

No-one gives good literary conversation like John Langan – and this week he returns to Talking Scared to discuss the watery influences, metafictional experimentation, and snake-legged women in his new collection: Lost in the Dark and Other Excursions.

It’s my favourite collection of John’s so far, and as ever, he merely used it for a jumping-off point into a cosy fireside conversation about all the books and stories that he keeps in his Alexandrian Library of a head!

It’s the most accessible college course you’ll ever take.

Enjoy!

Other books mentioned:

EVENT LINKS 

Powerhouse of Horror Party (October 24th, 2025) – Tickets

Creepaway Summer Camp (June 29th – July 3rd 2026) – Tickets

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Check out the Talking Scared Merch line – at VoidMerch

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Ready for some rough rural Gothic?

Kailee Pederson’s Sacrifical Animals was one of my top horror novels of 2024. I missed Kailee first time round, but now the book is out in paperback, I jumped at the chance to speak to her.

 I was NOT prepared for how highbrow this would go though. From a story about toxic families, American Gothic and Chinese mythology, we found our way to opera, classic Latin texts, and more.

But we also talk about violence and sex and evil. So it really does cover all the bases.

Enjoy!

Other books mentioned:

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