Best Erica Kay Podcasts (2026)

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Tales to Terrify 727 J. A. W. McCarthy 44:53

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6m ago44:53

44:53

Welcome to episode 727. We have one tale for you this week, about a young woman who seeks comfort in the embrace of her deceased grandmother’s house. COMING UP Good Evening: WiHM Special Submissions Period, Thank-you: 00:01:06 J. A. W. McCarthy’s Lamai as read by Nikolle Doolin: 00:04:53 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread the darkness. S…

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New year, new writing goals: Julia Crouch on getting started, finding inspiration, and writing what excites 43:08

1h ago43:08

43:08

In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, crime writer and NCW tutor Julia Crouch welcomes the New Year with us and shares her advice and encouragement for the writing year ahead. Julia is the author of ten internationally published crime novels, including Cuckoo, Tarnished, The Long Fall, and Her Husband’s Lover. Unable to find a sub-genre of c…

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Tales to Terrify 726 Amanda Cecelia Lang 48:58

4d ago48:58

48:58

Welcome to episode 726 and Happy Holidays! We have one tale for you this week, about a toy who searches for his purpose amidst the whispered secrets and gnashing teeth of a darkened nursery. COMING UP Good Evening: Merry Christmas: 00:01:06 Amanda Cecelia Lang’s The Velveteen Goblin as read by S. H. Cooper: 00:03:49 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Pa…

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Tales to Terrify 725 Adam May 45:50

6d ago45:50

45:50

Welcome to episode 725. We have one tale tonight, about a mysterious chair in the woods that offers a young man escape from the darkness of everyday life. COMING UP Good Evening: Special Submissions Period, Thank-you: 00:01:06 Adam May’s The Chair as read by Joel Simler: 00:04:22 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread the darkness. Shop Tale…

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Writing festive thrillers: Nicola Upson on The Christmas Clue 42:04

10d ago42:04

42:04

In this festive episode of The Writing Life Podcast, crime writer Nicola Upson delves into the themes and appeal of crime novels set at Christmas. Nicola Upson’s debut, An Expert in Murder, was the first in a series of crime novels to feature Josephine Tey — one of Britain’s finest Golden Age crime writers – and was dramatised for BBC Radio 4. Seve…

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Rosie Stewart: Freedom-to-Read Revelations 28:03

13d ago28:03

28:03

Why is freedom to read so important? I think we take for granted the idea that a multiplicity of voices are accessible to us, and our libraries are places that represent the voices of everyone in the community. There's a court case called Little v Llano just came out of the 5th district of the 5th circuit court of appeals, the district covers Texas…

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Tales to Terrify 724 Ann O’Mara Heyward & Sabine Baring-Gould 58:34

13d ago58:34

58:34

Welcome to episode 724. We have two tales for you this week. First, a young woman faces the horrifying choice of what to do when all hope is gone. Then, a mother, fueled by grief, curses the man who murdered her son – with unexpected consequences. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 Ann O’Mara Heyward’s The Kitchen Window as read by Kelli Tager: 00:03…

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Tales to Terrify 723 Derek Alan Jones 53:02

20d ago53:02

53:02

Welcome to episode 723. We have one longer tale for you this evening, about a team of Antiquarians tasked with uncovering the origin of a mysterious artifact. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 Derek Alan Jones’ Antiquity as read by Douglas Gwilym: 00:02:32 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread the darkness. Shop Tales to Terrify Merch Derek …

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Tales to Terrify 722 Sam Logan & E. F. Benson 46:02

27d ago46:02

46:02

Welcome to episode 722. We have two tales for you this week. First, we develop an unfortunate aversion to fingernails. Then, a wife, tired of her husband’s illness, soon regrets taking matters into her own hands. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 [Trigger] Sam Logan’s They All Must Go as read by Summer Brooks: 00:03:02 [Trigger] E. F. Benson’s Chris…

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Tales to Terrify 721 Dafydd McKimm & L. T. Williams 42:35

2M ago42:35

42:35

Welcome to episode 721. We have two tales for you this evening. First, a village plays host to a visitor with an insatiable appetite. Then, an English iron and coal magnate finds his work is transforming more than just his career. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 [Trigger] Dafydd McKimm’s Mesdames et Messieurs, the Gorger Tarap Tradaire as read by …

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What is ‘experimental fiction’?: Clara Chow on travelling, writing about taboo subjects, and having fun 55:54

1M ago55:54

55:54

In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, Singapore-based writer Clara Chow delves into the world of 'experimental fiction' and why she takes on projects that push against the grain. Clara Chow works across genres of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her strange experiments under Hermit Press include obscure prose chapbooks such as The Melancholy…

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Tales to Terrify 720 E. F. Benson 42:31

1M ago42:31

42:31

Welcome to episode 720. We have one classic tale for you tonight, about an old country estate that’s corridors holds more than portraits and shadows. COMING UP Good Evening: Patreon Author Interview Series: Derek Alan Jones: 00:01:06 E. F. Benson’s How Fear Departed the Long Gallery as read by Georgia Cook: 00:03:03 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Pa…

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Laura Raicovich: Fall of Freedom 32:51

2M ago32:51

32:51

"One of the major ideas behind Fall of Freedom was not only to get some bold-faced names involved to this project to attract involvement, but to get regular folks to participate...We are all creative beings; we are all producing culture all the time...it's not just seeing the art on the wall, but the conversations we might have. These are important…

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Tales to Terrify 719 James Fritz & Keith LaFountaine 49:44

2M ago49:44

49:44

Welcome to episode 719. We have two tales for you this week. First, we meet a woman with a hunger for justice. Then, a man fears for his relationship thanks to his girlfriend’s obsession with a chatbot. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 James Fritz’s Going Wendigo as read by Erin Grassie: 00:02:56 [Trigger] Keith LaFountaine’s Love, Unto as read by …

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Writing grief and the body: Lisabelle Tay & Heather Parry in conversation with Yan Ge 54:04

2M ago54:04

54:04

In this Halloween-flavoured episode of The Writing Life Podcast, we’re resharing an illuminating discussion between writers Lisabelle Tay and Heather Parry on writing grief and the monstrous body. Heather Parry is a Glasgow-based writer and editor, originally from South Yorkshire. Her debut novel, Orpheus Builds a Girl, was shortlisted for the Salt…

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Tales to Terrify 718 Halloween Flash Contest + E. F. Benson 1:04:28

2M ago1:04:28

1:04:28

Happy Halloween and welcome to episode 718. First, we meet the four runners-up and one winner of our first ever Halloween Flash Fiction Contest. Then, a classic tale about a man who inherits a house and the dark history that comes with it. COMING UP Good Evening: Happy Halloween: 00:01:06 [Trigger] Runner-Up: Jared Conger’s From the Dark Woods as r…

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Tales to Terrify 717 C. W. Stevenson 50:19

2M ago50:19

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Welcome to episode 717. We have one tale for you this week, about a man whose farm becomes the feeding ground for a beast straight out of legend. COMING UP Good Evening: Halloween Flash Contest: 00:01:06 C. W. Stevenson’s Goat-sucker as read by Charles Conover: 00:03:54 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread the darkness. Shop Tales to Terri…

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Writing flawed characters: Sarah Moss on Ripeness 42:00

2M ago42:00

42:00

In this episode of The Writing Life, acclaimed British author and academic Sarah Moss (known for Ghost Wall and Summerwater) joins us to discuss her latest novel, Ripeness, ‘a breathtaking story of love and the search for belonging, from 1960s Italy to present-day Ireland.’ Sarah reflects on the novel’s dual structure, which follows Edith both as a…

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Lina AbiRafeh: Women's Rights in Dark Times 36:09

2M ago36:09

36:09

Holding women back doesn't just harm women, it holds everyone back - our economies, our nations, our future. If inequality is limiting us all, why aren't we doing anything to fix it? To build the unity needed to move forward, we have to connect to people's values. What kind of world do they want? For me, the answer is clear: we need women's full pa…

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Tales to Terrify 716 Bret Chandler, Nelson Allister & Jonathan Agar 40:07

3M ago40:07

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Welcome to episode 716. We have three tales for you this week, about an ominous voice calling from the woods, a dangerous bargain to break a curse, and a descent into madness at the hands of a monstrous clock. COMING UP Good Evening: new release from Frank Oreto: 00:01:06 Bret Chandler’s The Voice Past the Tall Jack Pines as read by Michelle Kane: …

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Tales to Terrify 715 Erica Waters 44:40

3M ago44:40

44:40

Welcome to episode 715. We have one tale for you this week, about a stray dog that causes otherworldly chaos. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 Erica Waters’ (Un)canny: A Study in Canine Folklore as read by Krystal Hammond: 00:02:24 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread the darkness. Shop Tales to Terrify Merch Krystal Hammond Krystal Hammon…

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The poetry of motherhood: Erica Hesketh and Jenny Pagdin on language, recovery, and balance 38:28

3M ago38:28

38:28

In this episode of The Writing Life, poets Erica Hesketh and Jenny Pagdin share insights into the poetry of motherhood, and how they each share their ‘emotional truth’ in their writing. Erica Hesketh is a poet and editor, originally from Japan and Denmark, now based in London. Her poetry has been commissioned by the Royal Festival Hall, Spread the …

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Tales to Terrify 714 Laila Amado & Akis Linardos 44:37

3M ago44:37

44:37

Welcome to episode 714. We have two tales for you this week, about guardian eldritch horrors and the risks of messing with time. COMING UP Good Evening: Halloween Flash Contest and Thank-yous: 00:01:06 [Trigger] Laila Amado’s Heaven is Experiencing Staffing Shortages and Somehow This is My Problem as read by James Barnett: 00:04:00 Akis Linardos’ R…

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Tales to Terrify 713 R. S. Nelson & QED 32:23

3M ago32:23

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Welcome to episode 713. We have two tales for you this week. First, a woman has one hell of a mess to clean in her bathroom. Then, we get to the bottom of who’s haunting the house. COMING UP Good Evening: Halloween Flash Contest & Patreon Author Interview Series feat. JV Gachs: 00:01:06 R. S. Nelson’s Supplies Needed to Clean the Bloodbath in My Ba…

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A writer’s journey: Vanessa Bell on book tours, friendship, and revisiting old projects 54:40

3M ago54:40

54:40

In this episode of The Writing Life, poet, editor, and literary activist Vanessa Bell discusses the journeys she has taken as a writer, both literally and figuratively, and her recent book tour around the UK. Based in Quebec City of Literature, Vanessa Bell is co-director of CONTOURS and director of the poetry collection at Éditions du Quartz. Her …

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Tales to Terrify 712 Mark H. Harris & Avra Margariti 50:59

3M ago50:59

50:59

Welcome to episode 712. We have two tales for you this week. First, a woman running from her dark past battles curiosity at the sounds in the attic. Then, a girl carries her guilt deep into the subway where she shelters from the apocalypse with a band of misfits. COMING UP Good Evening: Halloween Flash Contest: 00:01:06 Mark H. Harris’ Don’t Look a…

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Amanda DuBois: Getting Lives Back on Track 32:52

3M ago32:52

32:52

I came up with this idea that we would have workshops, and we would have formerly incarcerated people come to the workshops, and we would teach them about organizing and teach about women's suffrage, civil rights, and marriage equality. How impactful a group of people can be if they all have the same interest. They're voters. They can talk to the s…

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Tales to Terrify 711 Elizabeth Gaskell 1:01:47

3M ago1:01:47

1:01:47

Welcome to episode 711. We have one classic tale for you, about a remote country house where the halls echo with haunting music and the footsteps of spectral children. COMING UP Good Evening: Halloween Flash Contest: 00:01:06 Elizabeth Gaskell’s The Old Nurse's Story as read by S. H. Cooper: 00:04:58 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread th…

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Representation in children’s literature: Hayley Wells on The Spectacular Suit 29:29

4M ago29:29

29:29

In this episode of The Writing Life, illustrator Hayley Wells delves into the importance of representation in children’s books. Hayley Wells is an Essex-based illustrator with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art. Their work has been shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards, featured on television, and published w…

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Tales to Terrify 710 John Betancourt & T. R. Steele 47:26

4M ago47:26

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Welcome to episode 710. We have two tales for you this week. First, a young woman facing eviction turns to an online ritual for help. Then, we learn the secret to keeping fish at its freshest: necromancy. COMING UP Good Evening: Patreon Bonus: 00:01:06 John Betancourt’s Sock It To Me as read by Danielle Hewitt: 00:03:35 [Trigger] T. R. Steele’s Jul…

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Tales to Terrify 709 Obiwulu Chisom Peace, J. V. Gachs & Blaize M. Kaye 40:19

4M ago40:19

40:19

Welcome to episode 709. We have three tales for you. About the blurred line between myth and reality, putting a price tag on the immortal soul, and the pull of freedom in the face of genetic servitude. COMING UP Good Evening: Submissions: 00:01:06 Obiwulu Chisom Peace’s The Whispering Groves as read by Anne Marie Lewis: 00:03:28 J. V. Gachs’ An Hou…

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Reimagining classics: Pat Barker on the Regeneration Trilogy 38:36

4M ago38:36

38:36

Content warning: Mentions of rape, sexual assault, and war. In this episode of The Writing Life, bestselling author Pat Barker shares insights about the art of retellings, and the craftsmanship and research needed to write reimaginings of classic literature. Pat Barker was born in Yorkshire and began her literary career in her late thirties, when s…

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Tales to Terrify 708 Anne Wilkins 51:42

4M ago51:42

51:42

Welcome to episode 708. We have one tale for you this week, about a grieving mother desperate for relief from her parental responsibilities who seeks sanctuary at a play centre built on buried secrets. COMING UP Good Evening: Submissions and Patreon Interview Series: 00:01:06 [Trigger] Anne Wilkins’ Hidden Treasure as read by AJ Fitzwater: 00:04:28…

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Tales to Terrify 707 Sabine Baring-Gould 1:00:42

5M ago1:00:42

1:00:42

Welcome to episode 707. We have one classic tale for you tonight, about a preserved finger with a personality all its own. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 Sabine Baring-Gould’s A Dead Finger as read by Brian Rollins: 00:02:45 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread the darkness. Shop Tales to Terrify Merch Brian Rollins Brian Rollins on X Br…

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Writing contemporary crime fiction: Val McDermid on Past Lying 42:15

5M ago42:15

42:15

In this episode of The Writing Life, award-winning writer Val McDermid shares insights on writing contemporary crime fiction, and the importance of learning patience as a writer. One of the UK’s most accomplished and respected novelists, Val McDermid has sold over 19 million books to date across the globe and is translated into more than 40 languag…

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Tales to Terrify 706 Derek Alan Jones & Damir Salkovic 43:52

5M ago43:52

43:52

Welcome to episode 706. We have two tales for you this week. First, a passenger learns things work a little different at the airport. Then, a Soviet scientific expedition sent to investigate a meteor impact site discover they may be the subjects rather than the observers. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 Derek Alan Jones’ Everything That Was All of…

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Tales to Terrify 705 Edd Vick & Donovan Douglas Thiesson 50:52

5M ago50:52

50:52

Welcome to episode 705. We have two tales for you this week. First, we learn that immortality isn’t everything it’s chalked up to be. Then, she waits in the deep, listening for the voice that will call her home. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 Edd Vick’s Dead by Night as read by Rish Outfield: 00:02:34 Donovan Douglas Thiesson’s Janelle is Still J…

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Becoming a published author: Wen-Yi Lee on representation, writing residencies, and building a readership 51:28

5M ago51:28

51:28

In this episode of The Writing Life, writer and Dragon Hall Cottage resident Wen-yi Lee shares insights into building a writing career, and the process of taking a project from conception to completion. Wen-yi Lee likes writing about girls with bite, feral nature, and ghosts. She is the author of historical fantasy When They Burned the Butterfly an…

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Tales to Terrify 704 F. Marion Crawford 49:55

5M ago49:55

49:55

Welcome to episode 704. We have a classic tale for you this week, about an ancient tower, a mysterious grave, and the two men who stumble across its nightly inhabitant. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 F. Marion Crawford’s For the Blood is the Life as read by Charles Conover: 00:02:49 PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Patreon! Spread the darkness. Shop…

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Tales to Terrify 703 Chris Riley & Rob Gillham 45:34

5M ago45:34

45:34

Welcome to episode 703. We have two tales for you. First, we learn that even villains can fall in love. Then, a man clearing out his childhood home uncovers dark truths about a childhood friend. COMING UP Good Evening: Patreon Author Interview Series: 00:01:06 Chris Riley’s Hatchet Man as read by Colin Duncan: 00:03:18 [Trigger] Rob Gillham’s The H…

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Writing between genres: Michael Pedersen on Muckle Flugga 53:10

6M ago53:10

53:10

In this episode of The Writing Life, prize-winning poet and writer Michael Pedersen shares his experience writing between genres, and how pushing the boundaries of literary categories can enhance your writing. Michael Pedersen is a prize-winning poet and author of the memoir Boy Friends, which was a Sunday Times Critics Choice and shortlisted for t…

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Tales to Terrify 702 F. W. Weatherstone 52:04

6M ago52:04

52:04

Welcome to episode 702. This week , we meet a young Scottish woman who inherits the duty of tending to an old stone shelter… and the ancient thing that dwells within. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 [Trigger] F. W. Weatherstone’s The Bothy in the Field as read by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker: 00:02:48 TRIGGER WARNINGS The Bothy in the Field contains sc…

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SEVENTEEN: Making Music Meaningful 29:43

6M ago29:43

29:43

I was pleasantly surprised and [found it] incredibly fulfilling when we brought kids who I interviewed down to Florida and thank you to the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra -- they gave us the opportunity to bring these young activists into schools and introduce these young activists -- this is three days after the last election so other kids in thes…

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Tales to Terrify 701 Derek Alan Jones, Nick Badot & Victoria Brun 56:50

6M ago56:50

56:50

Welcome to episode 701. We have three tales for you this week. First, a boy learns the importance of respecting old traditions. Then, we sample an exclusive menu with the most exotic of flavours. And finally, a woman chosen for ritual sacrifice holds her people’s future in her hands. COMING UP Good Evening: Submissions: 00:01:06 Derek Alan Jones’ A…

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World building in horror fiction: Julia Armfield on Private Rites 39:35

6M ago39:35

39:35

In this episode of The Writing Life, prize-winning writer Julia Armfield shares insights on world building in horror fiction, and writing catastrophic and intense circumstances. Julia Armfield's work has been published in Granta, The White Review and Best British Short Stories 2019 and 2021. In 2019, she was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young W…

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Tales to Terrify 700 Philip Madden & Mary Elizabeth Braddon 39:27

6M ago39:27

39:27

Welcome to episode 700. We have two tales for you this week. First, a pastor seeks to avenge his murdered family with the help of an unlikely ally. Then, a young artist learns the deadly cost of heartbreak. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 Philip Madden’s The Pastor as read by Curtis Michael Holland: 00:03:01 [TRIGGER] Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s The …

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Tales to Terrify 699 Tabitha Lord, Bryan Carrigan & Avra Margariti 48:22

6M ago48:22

48:22

Welcome to episode 699 We have three tales for you, about a modern-day Frankenstein’s monster, a horny teen who gets more than just a hookup, and a young woman trapped inside her house by a mysterious guest. COMING UP Good Evening: Submissions are open: 00:01:06 [Trigger] Tabitha Lord’s Monster as read by Amanda Stribling: 00:03:37 Bryan Carrigan’s…

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The world of Substack: Eleanor Anstruther & Simon K Jones on serial fiction 57:36

6M ago57:36

57:36

In this episode of The Writing Life, writers Eleanor Anstruther and Simon K Jones discuss the world of Substack, and how they use the platform to publish and share their work. Eleanor Anstruther is the author of A Perfect Explanation, and A Memoir In 65 Postcards & The Recovery Diaries. Her new novel, In Judgement of Others, is out now. You can fin…

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Tales to Terrify 698 Daniel Stride & Rachel Bolton (Stoker) 55:12

7M ago55:12

55:12

Welcome to episode 698 and happy StokerCon! We have two tales for you this week. First, a strange child develops a special bond with the hermit in his garden. Then, a woman goes to extreme lengths to leave her abusive husband. COMING UP Good Evening: StokerCon 2025: 00:01:06 Daniel Stride’s The One Who Saw Too Much as read by Jesse Holt: 00:04:09 […

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Tales to Terrify 697 A. A. Nour 51:44

7M ago51:44

51:44

Welcome to episode 697. We have one tale for you this week, about a woman torn between who she feels she should be and true beast that lurks within her. COMING UP Good Evening: 00:01:06 [Trigger] A. A. Nour’s Lonely Skin as read by Erin Grassie: 00:03:09 TRIGGER WARNINGS Lonely Skin contains scenes of Animal Death. PERTINENT LINKS Support us on Pat…