Santa is real. That’s the bad news.

Kevin Johnson joins me on Quills & Chills to talk about his debut holiday horror novel, ’TWAS THE NIGHT. A journalist investigating missing children finds herself in Yule, Maine, where the Christmas spirit comes with some deeply disturbing traditions.

’TWAS THE NIGHT is easily one of my top ten favorite books. Kevin and I talk about the characters who made it so much fun, the balance of humor and horror, and why Santa mythology is already pretty creepy before you add evil reindeer and murderous holiday decorations.

We also talk Christmas horror movies, the long road to publication, and two words that had me laughing so hard I had to stop walking my dog: “Drunkus erectus.”

As Kevin puts it, “We can all ruin the holidays together.”

FIND KEVIN JOHNSON ONLINE:

kevinjohnsonwrites.com

IG: @bookevinjohnson

Bluesky: bookevinjohnson.bsky.social

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Instagram: @quillsandchills
Bluesky: @quillsandchills.bsky.social

Alma Katsu joins me on Quills & Chills to talk about Incarnate, a Dorian Gray-inspired horror story about beauty, ambition, and the cost of becoming someone else online. And this one gets under your skin.

We talk about influencer culture, the things people will do for attention, and characters who keep making you rethink whose side you’re on. Alma also shares how her years in intelligence and work as a technology futurist shaped the story. Naturally, that leads us into social media, deception, and my own early-morning TikTok habit.

Plus, our favorite moments from the book, keeping the spoilers in check. That ending? We saved that conversation for off-air.

Keep up with Alma through her Substack newsletter.

FIND ALMA KATSU ONLINE:

almakatsubooks.com

almakatsu.substack.com

IG: @almakatsu

Follow Quills & Chills:
Instagram: @quillsandchills
Bluesky: @quillsandchills.bsky.social

This week on Quills & Chills, I’m joined by actor, writer, and director Denise Devin from Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood!

Denise has been part of Zombie Joe’s for more than 25 years, and we’re talking about what makes this wonderfully weird, underground theater such a special part of the LA horror community. We get into their legendary Urban Death Tour of Terror Ultra, how they create those short, disturbing flashes of horror, what it’s like sending an audience through those dark and twisty mazes, and why sometimes what you don’t show can be a whole lot scarier than what you do.

We also talk about Zombie Joe’s incredible range — from avant-garde horror to Shakespeare and even kids’ theater — and what has kept Denise coming back to this little North Hollywood theater for more than two decades.

Urban Death Tour of Terror Ultra runs October 9 through November 1 at Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood.

FIND URBAN DEATH ULTRA ONLINE:

zombiejoes.com

IG| FB | TikTok: @zombiejoes

Tickets: zombiejoes.tix.com

Follow Quills & Chills:
Instagram: @quillsandchills
Bluesky: @quillsandchills.bsky.social