Talking Scared Podcast

Time for an update on the 2026 Dark Tower readalong schedule... The plan (approx) is: January 27th – The Talisman March 17th – Black House May – Wind Through the Keyhole August – Wolves of the Calla October – Hearts in Atlantis December – ??? Hope you join us for the journey.

Halloween Countdown - Day 22 As a fan of the @talkscaredpod.bsky.social I've been quite excited for this & boy did it exceed my own hype for it! Chilling and heartfelt all at once, this is a story that certainly has some clear influences, but holds a heart that beats entirely to its own rhythm

Yet more bonus listening for PATREON SUBSCRIBERS! Deena Helm and Kyle Winkler stuck around afterhours to talk British sitcoms, greatest horror villains, and the monsters they wish were real. Subscribe - enjoy - support the podcast Thnx

Post the: Last movie you saw 🎬 Last game you played 🎮 Last show you watched 🖥 Last song you listened to 🎵

Just recorded my final author-interview of the year, with no less a star than Jane Schoenbrun. I devoured all 600 pages of their novel PUBLIC ACCESS AFTERWORLD in just three days ('cos it's that good!) and then we had a wonderfully enlightening conversation about it!

In this episode Dorian Ravenscroft talks to me about their polar debut, THE WHITE NORTH HAS THY BONES. It’s fantastic! The arctic horror tradition, their books relationship with The Terror, why the icy north is such fertile ground for Queer stories, and my strategy to survive starvation on the ice.

I'm reading Jane Schoenbrun's novel - Public Access Afterworld and having a grand old time. Tonight i'm gonna watch Camp Miasma in prep for our conversation this week.

An Off Book episode with the two visionaries behind WHALEFALL. @danielkraus.com and director, Brian Duffield join me to talk fake guts and very real emotion in this marvel of a movie. All podcast places.

It's a review-heavy week on Talking Scared Patreon. – Yesterday I reviewed Other Mommy for 20 minutes (with frothing intensity) – Just uploaded the latest hour of candid reviews, covering all the books I read in August. Subscribe to Patreon and support Talking Scared

Hey. It’s my birthday so I’m using this as an excuse to say- 1) Thanks so much for another year of friendship, conversation and support. 2) If you’re inclined to generosity, sign up to my Patreon channel and support the show (plus a ton of rewards!)

Had a great chat with Daniel Kraus and Brian Duffield about the majesty of WHALEFALL (and how it came closer to giving me a real human emotion than anything in a while). Off Book episode coming soon.

Tomorrow's episode is not one to miss. WOLF!!

A found fiction horror story about a cursed role-playing game. Erm… yes please! Enjoy. All podcast platforms.

Heads up to any and all newbies to Talking Scared. Stephen King is back on the show next week, for a conversation about OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE and other Talisman-related things. I promise to keep it entirely spoiler-free for the new book. But I will be demanding answers about Wolf.

Happy Friday. Patreon-subscribers get a bonus hour of book reviews - a month's worth of stuff I read recently. Enjoy

I've just listened to Neil McRobert's interview with Deena Helm author of Our Cut of Salt. What can I say other than a classic heartfelt interview. Well done Neil.

I have FINALLY begun Widow's Bay and it's no surprise, but this show feels like someone somewhere knows what I need.

I don't care about parasociality - I have made a new friend!

Flew to Manchester, drove a bus to Combs, met some truly brilliant human beings that I'm happy and proud to call friends, and we wrote, had fun, scared each other, had beers, walked in the woods, invited the dark in & also helped each other keep it at bay.

This week's episode transports the Gothic to Palestine, for a story of oppression, claustrophobia, fractured selves and haunted, homicidal houses. It's Deena Helm and OUR CUT OF SALT All podcast platforms

I am indeed! Honoured to be asked.

Recorded a proper old chinwag with my mate @scribeofhades.bsky.social We talk about sentient houses and intrusive thoughts in his fantastic WORRY BOX - and the scary basement in his own house. Tomorrow’s episode (if I can produce it in time)

Once again influenced by Neil of @talkscaredpod.bsky.social I just read this one and absolutely loved it. It's a brilliant novel and mindblowing that it's Higginson's debut. This is one to read and he's one to watch.

A BIG recommendation for the latest episode of @talkscaredpod.bsky.social where Neil interviews China Mieville about his new book The Rouse: substack.com/profile/3781... #booksky

Plus, Patreon subscribers get an extra 35 minutes of China Miéville talking through the books, movies and music that has most inspired him. You’ll never guess his favourite book or album! Support the show!

China Miéville makes a rare podcast appearance to discuss his ludicrously epic novel, THE ROUSE It’s a saga of a dark twentieth century, haunted by war, by secrets, by the echoes of empire and yes, by ghosts - if that’s what you wish to call them I’m so proud of this episode All podcast places

The biggest name in horror comics came on the show for an in-depth chat about the whole SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN story-world — including the forthcoming novel, Hope is a Knife Listen if you’re interested in the best of horror creativity happening right now. All podcast platforms

Hey it's International Dog Day so... 1) spend an extra few minutes playing or walking that little four-legged heartbeat today 2) a note that I wrote a book about the bond between a man and his dog, and the child-stealing monster they fight. People like it, including Stephen King

Fresh Patreon bonus - If you enjoyed the Clive Barker chat in the latest ep, I recorded a whole other patreon-exclusive episode about the legend’s work - with uber-fan (and great author) Alan Baxter. Subscribe - support - enjoy!

Big week on Talking Scared. @chuck_wendig is back and he wrote a book that got me dropping the C-bomb! We talk about it THE CALAMITIES- about the influence of demonology on Chuck’s career, writing loveable psychos, handling exposition, and the shadow of Clive Barker. All podcast platforms

Episode recorded with China Miéville. As befitting his 1300 page book, the conversation went long. It's nearly 1 hour 45, and I had to REALLY up my intellectual game for this one. You can hear it September 8th.

I saw The End of Oak Street and had more complicated opinions than you'd expect about a film featuring brontosaurus shagging. Patreons can listen right now. Subscribe - support - enjoy

Who is watching FURIOUS? If you're not, may I suggest you watch FURIOUS. Mostly for this absolute legend!

Latest episode of Talking Scared is a well-seasoned genre mash. natasha_pulley joins me to talk about THE SALT KING - her fantasy/apocalypse/folk-horror/romance/comedy blend. It’s a dive into the darkest excesses of the Catholic Church and the occasional magical salt mine. All podcast places

I’m 300 pages into China Mieville’s THE ROUSE and just about getting a sense of things. It’s a mesmeric novel. Like a ghost story written by Samuel Beckett. 900 pages to go.

I just recorded an absolute banger of an Off Book episode with Ben Bradford from the new ARE WE DOOMED podcast - which explores existential end-of-the-world scenarios. You won't believe how hopeful both his podcast and our conversation will make you feel. Hoping to turn it around for tomorrow.

I really do have a split online personality. Over on threads i'm all "it's such a shame Nigel Farage didn't die in that helicopter crash," whereas here i'm like "here's this phenomenal book I read and isn't my dog cute?"

It's time for another Hushed Tones - my patreon-exclusive dead-honest reviews of books i've read for the show. Sign up and enjoy. Feel good about yourself for supporting indie podcasting.

Celebrating Welsh folklore and one of my favourite books of the year. Liam Higginson is this week’s guest, talking us through his debut THE HILL IN THE DARK GROVE. It’s wonderful, quite frankly.

I've decided the Dark Tower Deep Dive will include Rose Madder. Technically allowed because of that one single reference - but mostly cos it's a great book that doesn't get discussed ever. And we will have some female voices to balance out the sausage-fest for that one.

My Year of Book Covers Good Boy first edition paperback by Neil McRobert @talkscaredpod.bsky.social Riot is, in fact, a very good boy!

Been working for three days at a story that was tying itself in useless knots. Took Ted for a twenty minute walk and solved it. It involves starting again... but the solution never fails.

What are we reading/watching this weekend folken?

I have never read SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN but with the second omnibus, a forthcoming novel, and James Tynion coming on the show… the time is now. Who’s a fan?

Hands up if you've never even been on the site? Is it a site? Or an app? Or do you have to pull on Sam Altman's balls and make a wish? I've never seen the interface.

The fact that here in the UK we call a dog's erection a "lipstick" has forever ruined this franchise for me.

Jesus...the mental yoga required to follow this line of reasoning! Administrative and commercial platforms use AI. Fuck it then, we'll let it write the stories and paint the art and compose the music then. Cos that's the same thing. And this was disseminated by the HWA? One more nail in the coffin.

This is maybe the scariest episode I've ever released. Annie Jacobsen joins me for a conversation about BIOLOGICAL WAR: A SCENARIO - her speculative non-fiction menace of a book, in which she traces an engineered pathogen from its lab escape to the end of civilisation. Enjoy. Sort of.

I just recorded an episode with Liam about this book. It's reaffirmed my praise for the novel. Truly brilliant.

Weekend listen? Neil @talkscaredpod.bsky.social , Nat @natcassidy.bsky.social , & Chris @scribeofhades.bsky.social catch up, dive deep and discuss Book Five of the Stephen King's Dark Tower series, WOLVES OF THE CALLA. Catch it anywhere you listen to Podcasts. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/t...

I've just finished Liam Higginson's THE HILL IN THE DARK GROVE and it's possibly my favourite novel of the year. Folk-horror steeped in Welsh lore and identity, a Celtic riff on The Shining, with the most fantastic prose and two characters you deeply root for. Can't recommend it enough