In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, author of The Mean Ones, Such Lovely Skin, and the upcoming dark fantasy What Feeds Below. Tatiana dives deep into how her background writing deeply personal essays about family trauma and living with her mother's ex-boyfriend ultimately pushed her to seek pure escapism through horror fiction.

We discuss her childhood exposure to Resident Evil and Stephen King , the catharsis of surviving toxic male gaming lobbies , and balancing the mentally taxing world of publishing with the physical discipline of Olympic weightlifting. Whether you're a cozy gamer , a powerlifter , or just looking to dive into an immersive void filled with diabolical mushrooms, this conversation is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Horror as a Comfort Genre & Writing for Fun

00:36 – Introducing Tatiana Schlote-Bonne & Her Bizarre, Unsettling Worlds

02:41 – Childhood Tastes: Goosebumps, Dean Koontz, and Resident Evil

04:31 – Chasing Scares & Desensitization in Horror Movies

08:50 – From High School Family Trauma to the Iowa Non-Fiction Writing Program

16:31 – The Pivot from Memoir to Fiction During the Pandemic

19:31 – The Parallels of Writing Horror and Olympic Powerlifting

21:35 – Navigating Toxic Masculinity in Call of Duty Lobbies

27:30 – Cozy Gaming, Brain Rot, and Video Game Inspirations

32:22 – Such Lovely Skin: Demonic Video Games and Horrific Secrets

38:46 – The Mean Ones: Cults, People Pleasing, and 2000s Mean Girls

46:02 – What Feeds Below: Anime Inspiration, Diabolical Mushrooms, and Body Horror

52:23 – Adapting Voice for Protagonists & The Agony of the Publishing Industry

55:06 – Author Confessions Rapid Fire: Ghost Rom-Coms and the Dread of Starting

Connect with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne:

tatiana-schlote-bonne.com

Instagram: @thebuffwriter
TikTok: @the_buff_writer

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

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In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with the brilliant Johanna Van Veen. Known for her haunting and intimate gothic novels My Darling, Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue, Johanna dives deep into how her historical fascinations and the unique dynamic of being a triplet have shaped her deeply unsettling stories.

We discuss her childhood terror of reading the Dutch equivalent of Goosebumps, the catharsis of writing unlikable women and sapphic romances in traditional gothic settings, and the bizarre history of bedazzled catacomb saints. Whether you're a lover of dark folklore, a fan of emotionally complex monster-human relationships, or just looking for your next gothic horror obsession, this conversation is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome to Talking Horror & Connecting Across Time Zones

04:10 – Johanna’s Horror Origin Story: Dutch Goosebumps

07:17 – The Family Computer & Learning to Blind Type

10:25 – Drowning Fairies & Mermaid Curses: Dutch Folklore Explained

12:53 – Being a Triplet & Channeling Sibling Dynamics into Middle-Grade Fiction

15:21 – A Modern Millennial Meet-Cute: Tumblr Fanfiction

17:08 – The Tumultuous Road to Publication & Scrapped First Drafts

30:17 – My Darling, Dreadful Thing: Grief, Mediums, and Comforting Monsters

39:54 – Blood on Her Tongue: Vampires, Unlikable Women, and Forms of Hunger

45:54 – Book History, 17th-Century Gratitude Journals, and Puritans

53:28 – Power Structures & Why Queer Romance Belongs in Gothic Fiction

57:33 – Bone of My Bone: The Thirty Years' War and Bedazzled Skeletons

1:06:25 – Future Releases & Rapid-Fire Gothic Game

Connect with Johanna Van Veen:

Website: https://johannavanveen.com/

Instagram: @johannavanveen1997

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42245290.Johanna_van_Veen

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with the hilariously brilliant Neena Viel. Known for her critically acclaimed and terrifying debut Listen to Your Sister, Neena dives deep into how becoming the guardian of her teenage brother in her early 20s inspired her to craft a horror masterpiece about the realities of parentification and invisible caretaking.

We discuss her childhood terror of Dean Koontz, the catharsis of writing "women behaving badly," and why she has to twerk her way through writer's block. Whether you're an oldest sibling carrying the weight of the world, a fan of morally gray characters, or just looking for your next horror obsession, this conversation is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 – The Pre-Writing Dance Routine & Twerking Through Writer's Block

00:35 – Introducing Neena Viel & Her Debut, Listen to Your Sister

01:48 – Neena’s Horror Origin Story: Dean Koontz’s Phantoms & Resident Evil

06:46 – Childhood Reading Habits: From Large Print Romance to Goosebumps

11:04 – Pursuing the Dream: "Grandma Thinks I'm a Lawyer"

12:44 – The Real-Life Inspiration: Raising a Teenager in Your 20s

14:44 – The Corporate Grind, Pandemic Writing, and "Revenge" Drafting

17:52 – Neena’s Writing Process: Pantsing, Candles, and the "Party Box"

26:22 – Navigating the Sophomore Slump & Reader Expectations

34:57 – Exploring Sibling Trauma, Dynamics, and the Hilarious Character Jamie

43:27 – Character Building: Giving Siblings Distinct Voices Using the Senses

46:37 – Balancing Humor with Dark Themes (and the Famous Shower Scene)

49:59 – The Horrors of Parentification & The Invisible Labor of Women Caretakers

57:56 – A Sneak Peek at I’ll Watch Your Baby: Morally Gray Women Behaving Badly

1:01:47 – Book 3 Preview: The Trail Provides, A Hiking Horror Satire

1:06:05 – Author Recommendations: Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, and Debuts

Connect with Neena Viel:

Website: https://www.neenaviel.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49276349.Neena_Viel (Note: As Neena mentions in the episode, she isn't on platforms like Instagram and TikTok!)

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

Ashley Winstead joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore how thriller and horror serve as a powerful mirror for the human condition, from the suffocating weight of hyper-competitiveness to the complex dynamics of control and submission.

In this episode, Ashley and Rachel dive into:

The Power of Words: How being a shy "Navy brat" moving every two years led Ashley to find companionship and an innate love for language within books.

• Poetry as a First Love: Why Ashley’s process remains rooted in "painterly" self-expression and the precision of prose, inspired by poets like Richard Siken and Mary Oliver.

  The 10-Year Hiatus: The "lore" of how a traumatic car accident and 12 MFA rejections led Ashley to quit writing for a decade while she worked in the music and TV industries.

  Academic Thick Skin: How the "grind" of earning a PhD in literature finally gave Ashley the resilience to face the criticism inherent in the publishing world.

  The "Revenge" Thriller: How being told her fantasy novel lacked plot motivated Ashley to "revenge write" her debut thriller, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, in a fugue state.

  Cults and Control: A deep dive into The Last Housewife and how it explores patriarchal submission and the real-life Sarah Lawrence sex cult.

  Faith vs. Fear: Exploring the existential and religious trauma themes in Midnight is the Darkest Hour, where faith often acts as a "bandage" for the wound of uncertainty.

  Grief as a Detective: How the loss of her father fueled This Book Will Bury Me and its exploration of how grief makes us susceptible to obsession and true crime sleuthing.

Whether you are a "prose snob," a fan of "unreliable narrators," or an eldest daughter fueled by spite, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the grit behind the glamour of storytelling.

Timestamps:

00:00 — The car accident and 12 rejections.

02:15 — Intro: Welcome Ashley Winstead to Talking Horror.

03:09 — Growing up shy: Books as an escape for a Navy kid.

05:14 — First Love: Why poetry and Richard Siken are Ashley’s "Bibles".

13:54 — The 10-year break: Music industry, Hollywood, and the PhD grind.

22:17 — Genre Hopping: From YA Fantasy to "Revenge Writing" a thriller.

32:26 — In My Dreams I Hold a Knife: Toxic ambition and 10-year reunions.

42:16 — The Last Housewife: Exploring "tradwives," submission, and cults.

55:43 — Midnight is the Darkest Hour: Religious trauma and faith as a mask for fear.

1:03:54 — This Book Will Bury Me: Processing grief through true crime obsession.

1:14:23 — Coming Soon: A sneak peek at Hot Girl Murder Club.

Follow Ashley Winstead:

Website: ashleywinstead.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleywinsteadbooks/

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

Diana Rodriguez Wallach (award-winning author of The Silenced, Small Town Monsters and Hatchet Girls) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore how horror serves as a powerful mirror for real-world fears, from the dangers of charismatic leaders to the dark side of the troubled teen industry.

In this episode, Diana and Rachel dive into:

The "Psychic" Origin Story: How a chance encounter with a Salem psychic and a vivid dream launched Diana’s career as a YA author.

Horror as a Social Tool: Why "the zombie is never just a zombie" and how horror allows authors to tackle heavy themes without sounding like an after-school special.

The Book Banning Loophole: The surprising reason axe murders are often more "acceptable" in school libraries than stories about identity or romance.

Raising Awareness: Using The Silenced to shed light on the terrifying reality of wilderness programs and therapeutic boarding schools.

Dual Timelines and Gripping Hooks: Why Diana loves crafting "before and after" narratives to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

The Journalist’s Eye: How Diana’s background as a reporter fuels the intense research and factual history woven into her fiction.

Beyond YA: A sneak peek into Diana's upcoming adult horror short story and her "secret project" moving into adult fiction.

Whether you're a fan of 90s classics like Christopher Pike, a writer looking to sharpen your craft, or a reader who loves stories that "push the boundaries," this conversation is a must-listen.

Timestamps:
00:00 — A life-changing career prediction in Salem.
00:26 — Intro: Welcome Diana Rodriguez Wallach to Talking Horror.
02:15 — Double Nominations: Celebrating The Silenced at the Bram Stoker and Thriller Awards.

03:09 — Why Horror? Growing up on Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine.
04:24 — "The zombie is never just a zombie": Using horror to talk about the real world.
05:26 — The Book Banning Issue: Why "bloody axes" get a pass in the Bible Belt.
07:51 — Intentional Storytelling: Raising awareness for the troubled teen industry.
09:44 — The dual timeline obsession: Crafting Hatchet Girls and The Silenced.
12:06 — The Full Story: 9/11, hotel reporting, and the dream that changed everything.
15:59 — You can't take the journalist out of the writer: Research and factual history.
17:28 — What’s Next: Adult horror anthologies and secret projects.
19:01 — The "Training" Phase: Why authors find it hard to look back at old work.

Follow Diana Rodriguez Wallach:

Website: dianarodriguezwallach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianawallachauthor/

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

Kiersten White (New York Times bestselling author of Hide and Mister Magic) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore why horror is the ultimate tool for navigating religious trauma, from the "invisible" God of a high-control childhood to the cathartic power of a cursed children’s show.

In this episode, Kiersten and Rachel dive into:

• Religious trauma and the "sucky foundation" of being raised in a high-control Mormon environment.
• Dismantling purity culture and the process of "healing the shit out of" trauma through fiction.
• Why Mister Magic serves as a "holy grail" for survivors seeking to reclaim their identity from toxic beliefs.
• The millennial horror of Hide: sacrificing the next generation for a measly $50,000 and the "unlikability" of human desperation.
• Giving Lucy Westenra her groove back: reclaiming Dracula’s most tragic victim through a queer, feminist lens.
• The "T-shirt book deal" and the secrets to writing for iconic franchises like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Wars.
• The real star of the show: Kimberly, the 40-pound, "opportunistic omnivore" tortoise living in Kiersten’s backyard.

Whether you're a "self-proclaimed chicken" who loves scary stories, an author navigating the "murky areas" of different genres, or a survivor looking for the hope and catharsis hidden in the dark, this one is for you.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Does horror still scare a professional horror writer?
• 01:47 — Why horror? Taking control of childhood fears.
• 03:16 — Forbidden stories: Growing up in a high-control religious environment.
• 08:33 — The "Twilight" effect and accidentally starting a career in YA.
• 10:50 — Writing for teens vs. adults: Hope vs. "we’re on our own".
• 13:39 — Re-imaginings: Having a creative conversation with Dracula and Frankenstein.
• 18:02 — The "Sunnydale" T-shirt deal and pitching a Ben Solo novel.
• 23:49 — Balancing ADHD, humor, and darkness across different "cookie jars".
• 29:09 — Hide: Greek myths, reality TV, and the horror of the American system.
• 36:50 — Religious Trauma: Why Mister Magic is for the people "crying in the DMs".
• 47:25 — Reclaiming Lucy Westenra: Why the men in Dracula are the real villains.
• 54:26 — The Fox and the Devil: Forensic science, world fairs, and joyful queerness.
• 1:08:17 — Meet Kimberly: The dinosaur-sized tortoise in the backyard.
• 1:10:06 — Upcoming projects: Graphic novels and Wild and Wicked.

Follow the Guest (Kiersten White):

• Website: kierstenwhite.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkierstenwhite

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

Paulette Kennedy didn't finish a single manuscript until age 44. Her debut novel published at 46. Now Paulette Kennedy is one of gothic suspense's most talked-about voices, and this conversation is exactly why.

In this episode, bestselling author Paulette Kennedy pulls back the curtain on her unexpected path to publication, the pandemic grocery run that sparked The Devil and Mrs. Davenport, and why she believes dark fiction isn't just entertainment, but one of the safest ways to explore what makes us human. We go deep on grief, weaponized religion, "punchable" villains, and how her stunning new novel The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael is really a story about transformation and what you do with the time you have left.

Whether you're a lifelong gothic fiction fan or just discovering the genre, this one will stay with you.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Intro: Meet Paulette Kennedy & the "punchable" villain

00:43 — How the Brontës, VC Andrews & Stephen King shaped her voice

03:06 — The book that made her want to write (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier)

04:04 — ADHD, unfinished manuscripts, and not publishing until 46

06:21 — The real (unglamorous) truth about early writing life

07:50 — Her morning ritual: 5 AM, candles, film scores & flow state

09:23 — Where story ideas come from — and when they don't

11:31 — Plotter vs. Pantser: why she now does both

13:40 — Working with a developmental editor & finding your craft

14:50 — Her hardest book to write (and why it became her bestseller)

17:03 — The pandemic grocery run that became The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

19:32 — Faith vs. religion — and how religion gets weaponized

21:30 — Writing grief from the inside: "I've lost pretty much everyone"

24:02 — Feeling like a midlister despite massive success

28:33 — Why writing faster made her writing better

30:15 — The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael: toxic families & sibling rivalry

33:29 — Crafting villains readers love to hate

35:33 — Why dark fiction matters more than people think

36:17 — Balancing emotional depth with thriller momentum

37:41 — Why she keeps choosing historical fiction (and how she picks the era)

40:05 — A full year of research: archives, maps, diaries & location visits

42:20 — Writing race, LGBTQ+ oppression & abuse in historical contexts

45:19 — The Death tarot card, transformation, and "what am I doing with my time?"

48:01 — The magic of readers finding themselves in your pages

48:48 — Why readers are drawn to the dark side

50:05 — When to make your antagonist supernatural vs. human

52:16 — What's next: future genres & upcoming projects

📚 Connect with Paulette Kennedy:

🌐 Website:

paulettekennedy.com

📸 Instagram:

@pkennedywrites

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!

Saratoga Schaefer (USA Today bestselling author of Serial Killer Support Group and TradWife) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore why horror is the freest genre for the darkest truths, from the body horror of pregnancy to the real monster already on your phone screen.

In this episode, Saratoga and Rachel dive into:

• Seven unpublished books and a decade of rejection before getting the "yes"
• Why social media — not a demon in the well — is the true villain in TradWife
• The ethics of true crime fandom and why victims shouldn't be footnotes to their own stories
• How sobriety, poetry, and a childhood love of murderous nutcrackers shaped a horror career
• What queer and non-binary identity brings to horror's most essential questions of power and self
• A sneak peek at the upcoming A Thousand Monstrous Forms and The Last Time We Drowned

Whether you're a horror skeptic who loved The Hunger Games, an aspiring author surviving the rejection marathon, or a reader hungry for stories that challenge identity and power, this one is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Why readers shouldn't eat while reading Saratoga's books

00:19 — Introducing Saratoga Schaeffer

01:31 — Horror, genre-blending, and the freedom of the "Dark Side"

03:26 — Breaking the stigma: Horror is for everyone

04:35 — Saratoga's origin story: From murderous nutcrackers to middle-grade horror

08:20 — Poetry, recovery, and inheriting an art form

11:23 — Writing as a safe space for identity and self-confidence

14:16 — Reaching back: Writing the books you needed in the past

17:57 — The "Unicorn" myth: Surviving a decade of rejection

19:41 — Behind the scenes of Serial Killer Support Group: Revisions and character deaths

22:55 — Knowing when to bend: Boundaries in the publishing industry

46:30 — TradWife: Social horror, body horror, and the monster on your screen

1:04:15 — Sneak peek at A Thousand Monstrous Forms

1:11:05 — Closing thoughts and cover reveal dates

Follow Talking Horror Podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelreddreads/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelredd

If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to help us grow the horror community!