What's Kraken with Jo Szewczyk

Tonight’s guest is the one and only Harker Jones! A master of wit, a connoisseur of storytelling, and an all-around captivating personality, Harker is here to talk shop with everything from movies to books to small town wonders. All this and more on the next What’s Kraken!

Get ready to embark on an epic journey into the mysterious world of Mexican cryptids and mythology with our special guest, Robert Bitto. As an expert in all things cryptic and mythical, Robert is set to blow your mind with his wealth of knowledge and captivating insights. Join us as we explore the depths of Mexican folklore and uncover the secrets of legendary creatures. It’s gonna be a wild ride, so grab your gear and dive into the adventure with us!

Hey there, horror comic aficionados and eager supporters! Brace yourselves for an enthralling glimpse into the tumultuous and enthralling realm of Worthy Chaos comics. We’re thrilled to showcase the chaos comics characters and the spine-chilling narratives crafted by the brilliant Corissa Grant, the visionary force propelling Worthy Chaos comics into the limelight of the indie comics scene. During our recent interview, we had the honor of engaging with Corissa Grant, the esteemed comic mind behind Worthy Chaos comics. We delved into the heart of the latest comic issues and discussed the electrifying Kickstarter campaign that’s poised to revolutionize the indie […]

We’ve got none other than award-winning director, Stimson Snead on our What’s Kraken. We cover everything from indy film, stellar casts, and Tim Travers and the Time Travelers Paradox! All this and more on the next What’s Kraken! Where to find Stimson Snead If you want to know more about Stimson and Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox, check out his website here: https://stimsonsnead.com/ and if you like comics (who doesn’t?!) give Bleeding Ink a try!

Welcome to our killer (puns!) interview with the exceptionally talented Cassie Keet, the maestro behind the critically acclaimed film, Scream Therapy. This genre-defying movie has already made waves in the international film circuit, captivating audiences with its unique blend of suspense, emotion, and raw power. Come have a listen as Jim and Keet talk about her bold and innovative filmmaking approach, the importance of a team, and how to use a cardboard cut out to the fullest. All this and more on the next What’s Kraken!

Haunted Discoveries Interview! That’s right, the three most awesome words strung together in the English language! Hot off of Creep Week, T+E’s Haunted Discoveries team of Brandon Alvis and Mustafa Gatollari sit down with Jim for an in-depth look of their new season. We hit everything from tech to what makes a good ghost hunt. All this and more on the next What’s Kraken?

Welcome to our exclusive interview with acclaimed horror author, Isaac Thorne. Known for his spine-chilling narratives and masterful suspense (check out Hell Spring now!!), Thorne has carved a niche in the literary world that leaves readers clinging to every word. Today, we delve into the depths of his horrifying imagination, exploring the forces that inspire him, his unique writing process, and the stories that have left countless readers sleeping with the lights on. Prepare yourself as we step into the darkness of Thorne’s world, a realm where fear is the only certainty. Sorta Legit Transcript 00:00.00jim_phoenixHey, everyone Jim Phoenix here […]

00:00.00jim_phoenixHey, everybody welcome back to another exciting episode of what’s cracking. It’s me Jim Phoenix actually now this is an invasion as ijmbrannicck control the airwaves today instead of Jim Phoenix that’s right and friends today I’m I’m furious I’m furious to be here because that means I have to talk once again about hashtag chadts theax and if you look at my reviews from nightmarishconjurings.com deadstream episode of stream and demons that I did episode 48 you know, no big deal and also my newest kind of like teaser on haunted mtl you’ll find out why I’m so angry. […]

Elevator Game hits Shudder on September 15, and What's Kraken writer Zeth Martinez sat down with star Gino Anania and Fearworks producer Stefan Brunner to talk about the ritual, the road, and the woman on the fifth floor. It's the first feature out of Fearworks — a movie that got picked up as a screenplay in late 2019, got frozen solid by COVID for two years, and finally rolled cameras in Winnipeg. Gino plays Ryan Keaton, a shy kid who bluffs his way into a crew of urban-legend debunkers because his sister vanished playing the game. Stefan talks about what Fearworks is actually trying to build, and Gino explains why the scariest thing on set was seeing Samantha Halas in full 5th Floor Woman makeup while he was eating lunch.

Key Moments

* Late 2019: the screenplay gets picked up and fast-tracked. Then COVID lands and the whole thing sits for two years before production finally starts.

* Gino builds Ryan out of one thing — a missing sister who was also his best friend — and finds the character the way you find a key that fits a lock.

* Stefan on the Fearworks mission: horror spent decades as a straight-white-male genre, and the untold stories are sitting in the Middle East, Asia, and South America.

* Gino's first look at Samantha Halas in full 5th Floor Woman makeup, mid-lunch. Lunch did not survive.

The Takeaway

The monster isn't the scary part. Gino found Ryan by imagining his own sister gone and then refusing to believe it — grief that won't sit down is what pushes a kid into an elevator he has no business being in. Once he locked onto that, the shoot stopped being work and turned into play.

Guest Links

Gino Anania — actor, "Ryan Keaton"

Stefan Brunner — producer, Fearworks

Interview by Zeth Martinez / Haunted MTL — https://hauntedmtl.com

Elevator Game streams on Shudder September 15, 2023.

Watch or grab Elevator Game on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elevator-Game-Gino-Anania/dp/B0B6R4XNS3

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Author L.C. Moon joins Jo Szewczyk to talk about A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast) — Part I of her Fairy Tales From the Underworld trilogy, a dark, erotic reimagining of Beauty and the Beast that started as a story she told herself before bed as a teenager. They get into writing scene-by-scene like a movie in her head, taking beta reader notes without letting a fragile ego win, the eight-year gap after her sister's husband passed away, and the original instrumental soundtrack her sister Lana Chacra composed for the book without ever reading it.

Key Moments

* A Bedtime Story started as a story L.C. told herself before bed in her early teens — it took roughly a decade to become a finished manuscript.

* Her sister Lana Chacra wrote an original instrumental soundtrack for the book without reading a word of it, and L.C. recognized her own characters in the music anyway.

* The project went dormant for close to eight years after a family tragedy, until her publicist pushed her to pick it back up in 2022.

* Her advice to new writers: trust yourself, and know the imposter syndrome doesn't mean you're doing it wrong — everyone struggling with it is not alone.

The Takeaway

Asked what she'd tell her younger self, L.C. didn't hesitate: trust yourself. She's still working on it in real time — imposter syndrome doesn't resolve, it just gets more familiar. Her point wasn't that the doubt goes away, it's that nobody writing through it is doing it alone.

FAIRY TALES FROM THE UNDERWORLD

A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast) is Part I of a trilogy — followed by The Buried Tale (The Star-Crossed Lovers) and closing with Ode to the Fallen (Down the Rabbit Hole). Each book comes with an original instrumental soundtrack composed by Lana Chacra.

Guest Links

Website: fairytalesfromtheunderworld.com

Instagram: instagram.com/lcmoonattic

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/9867157.L_C_Moon

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