This week, Bram Stoker Winner and acclaimed author Cynthia Pelayo joins the show to discuss her story from Long Division, The Fire of Roses, as well as her new novel, Vanishing Daughters. Pelayo speaks on infusing her prose with poetic elements, how the city of Chicago inspires her work, and teases an upcoming Bad Hand release.

Long Division and other Bad Hand releases can be ordered at badhandbooks.com.

Vanishing Daughters and the rest of Cynthia Pelayo’s work can be found at cynthiapelayo.com.

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Screams from the Basement and Bad Hand Books. Original music provided by Billy and Danny Yost.

Acclaimed author and Bram Stoker finalist John F.D. Taff joins The Bad Signal to discuss his Long Division short story “Yard Signs.” He also gives us a preview of his upcoming Bad Hand releases, two novella collections, respectively titled The End in All Beginnings and All the Stars Die, and speaks about the art of writing short fiction, a skill he has honed over a decades-long career.

You can follow John on Bluesky to keep up with all of his work @jfdt.bsky.social.

Long Division and other Bad Hand titles, including both of Taff’s upcoming collections, can be found at badhandbooks.com.

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Bad Hand Books and Screams from the Basement. Original music provided by Billy and Danny Yost.

Acclaimed writing duo Thomas Sniegoski & Jeannine Acheson return to The Bad Signal to discuss their upcoming novella, Nira: A Constance Evermore Story. The novella follows a mysterious woman with supernatural abilities who is called upon to help a family dealing with dark forces in their new home. The duo join us for a raucous conversation about building an urban fantasy world with rich characters, working with artist Tom Brown to create the lush illustrations, and why whiskey plays an important role in all of their works.

Clay McLeod Chapman returns to The Bad Signal for a very spirited discussion on his short story “The Nocturnal Gardener,” written for the anthology Long Division, as well as his new novel Wake Up and Open Your Eyes. Both works fall under the umbrella of socio-political horror, but take very different approaches to their commentary. Clay breaks down the inspiration and process for both, his personal take on demonic possession, and the importance of rocking the boat.

This week on The Bad Signal, illustrator Thomas S. Brown joins the show to talk about his work on Root Rot by Sarah Read and the upcoming Nira: A Constance Evermore Story by Thomas Sniegoski and Jeannine Acheson. Tom breaks down his influences, the development of his instantly recognizable art style, and how authors inspire him just as much as visual artists.

You can find Tom and more of his art at his website: https://mothfestival.wordpress.com/commissioning-tom

You can pre-order Nira: A Constance Evermore Story and other Bad Hand titles at badhandbooks.com

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Screams from the Basement and Bad Hand Books. Original music provided by Billy and Danny Yost.

Michael Wehunt joins The Bad Signal to discuss his sophomore short story collection, The Inconsolables. The collection deals with timely themes of loneliness, grief, and the decay of society. We talk in depth with Michael about putting together these ten terrifying tales, what inspired stories such as “The Tired Sounds, A Wake” and “Teeth of America,” and the pros and cons of “pantsing” your own stories.

The Inconsolables and other Bad Hand titles can be found at badhandbooks.com.

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Bad Hand Books and Screams from the Basement. Original music provided by Billy and Danny Yost.

Bram Stoker Award-Winner Hailey Piper joins The Bad Signal to discuss her excellent crime/horror novella, Cranberry Cove! The book follows Emberly and Connor, two mob enforcers investigating an abandoned hotel with a dark secret following the assault of their boss’s son. We talk about the heavy subject matter, how the trans experience is intrinsic to the story, and what childhood experiences shaped her unique brand of horror.

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Bad Hand Books and Screams from the Basement. Original music by Billy and Danny Yost.

All Bad Hand titles can be found at badhandbooks.com

This episode’s guest is 2x Bram Stoker Finalist and Splatterpunk Award Winner Eric LaRocca , speaking about his book, They Were Here Before Us: A Novella in Pieces. We discuss writing from various animal perspectives, how early reactions to the book led to its tongue-in-cheek foreword, and great advice for writers of all levels.

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Screams from the Basement and Bad Hand Books. Original music by Billy and Danny Yost.

They Were Here Before Us and other Bad Hand Books can be bought or pre-ordered at badhandbooks.com.

This episode’s guest is acclaimed author ZOJE STAGE speaking on her upcoming children’s book MY UNDERSLUMBERBUMBLEBEAST, the story of a girl who discovers a community of creatures living under her bed that she must hide from her family. The book was created as a counterpart to Stage’s popular novels Baby Teeth and Dear Hanna, and was recently featured in the Associated Press Holiday Gift Guide. We chat the storied history of the project, how it came to Bad Hand Books, and working with illustrator J.E. Larson to bring this quirky story to life.

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Bad Hand Books and Screams from the Basement. Original music by Billy and Danny Yost.

My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast and other titles are available to purchase at badhandbooks.com.

Bram Stoker Award-winner Sarah Read joins The Bad Signal to discuss her novel The Atropine Tree, a brilliant book that combines alchemy, Victorian surgery, and gothic horror into a beautiful story of family and loss. The Atropine Tree follows Alrick Aldane after the loss of his father, as he navigates his dark family history and attempts to reclaim his rightful title as Lord of House Aldane. Read discusses her love of research (she’s extensively read up on poisonous plants and Victorian medical practices), crafting unique, memorable characters, and how writing pulled her through a dark time in her life.

You can purchase The Atropine Tree and other titles at badhandbooks.com

The Bad Signal is co-produced by Bad Hand Books and Screams from the Basement. Music by Billy and Danny Yost.