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Artwork for Talking Scared

Talking Scared

Neil McRobert
Horror Fiction
Stephen King
Horror Literature
The Dark Tower
Vampires
The Stand
Dark Tower
Mental Health
Salem's Lot
Psychological Horror
Horror
Gothic Literature
Cosmic Horror
Gun Violence
Empathy
Clown In a Cornfield
Cannibalism
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
Randall Flagg
Social Media

Conversations with the biggest names in horror fiction. A podcast for horror readers who want to know where their favourite stories came from . . . and what frightens the people who wrote them.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes337Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureArtsBooks

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Artwork for Talking Scared

Latest Episodes

This week we’re putting the boot right into the ribs of the AI Industry, but doing it in horrific style, with Paul Tremblay and Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep.

It’s a story of a young gamer, tasked with piloting a man’s comatose body across the... more

Part Two of my Scaredy Boy special, in which I quiz my friends in fear, Damo, Sean and To—AKA the Scaredy Boys themselves—about what they’ve seen and suffered through in their podcasting mission to conquer horror movies.

We talk number one examples ... more

Would you rather die or live on and on and on and on…

That’s one of the questions at the heart of Tom Lin’s Babylon, South Dakota. It’s a novel about a Chinese family who inherit an American farm, and whose lives are forever changed when the US mili... more

The first of a two-part special with the Scaredy Boys, my

brothers-in-cowardice from Down Under. Damo, Tom and Sean are famously and unashamedly terrified of horror movies, and started a podcast to face their fears. Since 2020 they’ve been watching a... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Tom Lin
Author of Babylon South Dakota
Episode: 284 – Tom Lin & Who Wants to Live Forever?
Damian Robb
Member of the Scaredy Boys, horror podcaster
Scaredy Boys
Episode: Off Book #21 – Scaredy Boys & The Coward’s Guide to Horror Movies (Part 1)
Naomi Kritzer
Author of Obstetrix
Author, Obstetrix
Episode: 283 – Naomi Kritzer & It Could Happen Anywhere
Melissa Albert
Author of The Children
Episode: 281 – Melissa Albert & The Howling Strangeness
Peter Dunne
Creator and director of Petrified; horror audio producer
Petrified (Tales from a Darker Ireland)
Episode: Off Book #20 – Petrified, with Peter Dunne
Neena Viel
Author of Listen to Your Sister and I'll Watch Your Baby
Author
Episode: 280 – Neena Viel & Go Heinous or Go Home
Sarah Langan
Author of Tread Wife, The Keeper, The Missing, Good Neighbours, Pam Kowalski is a Monster (Stoker-nominated novella)
Author
Episode: 279 – Sarah Langan & The Mask Eats the Face
Daisy Pearce
Author of horror/crime thriller novels
Author
Episode: 278 – Daisy Pearce & Bog Witches of the World Unite!
Damian McCarthy
Horror writer and director
Caveat, Oddity, Hokum
Episode: Off Book #18 – Hokum, with Damian McCarthy

Host

Neil McRobert
Host known for thoughtful, well-prepared interviews and deep horror-literature insights.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • King of Ashes

    I really like Talking Scared. Not being hugely widely read in the horror genre, I really enjoy discovering new authors after hearing them interviewed. Neil’s own book, Good Boy, is also excellent, especially for dog lovers like me.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hammer Harv
    United Kingdom16 days ago
  • Content warning:

    I have to give a major warning about this podcast- if you’re susceptible to adding books to your TBR list, this will be your doom. The interviews with authors are insightful and leave you feeling like you know them. They not only inspire you to want to read the book but make you invested in the author’s career. The last 4 books I’ve bought were recommended on this pod, and I don’t foresee that changing as I keep listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Me three
    United States2 months ago
  • Between two fires.

    I am enjoying this tale! Thanks for the Buehlman interview.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Emmy3212
    United States4 months ago
  • Please, more on King

    I love this show. I take the occasion to suggest a deeper analysis of Salem’s Lot. I think most of King’s books stated there. Thanks for the fun!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AnaBel RO
    United States5 months ago
  • Leftist propaganda?

    Why does a horror podcast have to be blatantly political and clearly run by anti English leftist?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    419Dggusji346
    United States6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are consistently engaging and thoughtfully selected, with insightful discussions.
Praise for the podcast's balance of literary analysis and accessibility, though a minority notes political slants in some episodes.
Listeners appreciate the host's preparedness and deep knowledge of horror.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#101
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#247
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#84
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#238
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#245
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#41
Finland/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

282 – CJ Leede & Peeling Back the Skin of the World
Q: Can you tell us about the idea of people waking up in someone else's skin and how it started?
CJ Leede explains that the image came to her during a walk; it was a starting point that grew into a broader exploration of home, grief, and humanity, driven by the image's unsettling shock and its ecological and existential resonances.
279 – Sarah Langan & The Mask Eats the Face
Q: When did you come to the idea of the Tread Wife concept, and did you plan the wider architecture before the specific elements?
The idea grew from a short story and a broader wish to explore how manipulation and online culture intersect with gendered power; the seven-day structure was developed to unfold the escalating horror while keeping a grounded emotional core.
279 – Sarah Langan & The Mask Eats the Face
Q: Tell us a bit about the story.
Sarah describes the novel's protagonist Jenny, a New York reporter who loses her job protections as corporations take over journalism; Jenny then spends a week at Mia's farm, where the personal and political power dynamics unfold into a consuming, dangerous narrative.
Off Book #18 – Hokum, with Damian McCarthy
Q: Was it a struggle to maintain a low-key Irish flavor with a bigger budget and a more international cast?
It wasn't, because I approached the process by first locking the script, then discussing every deal breaker upfront, which kept the core tone intact. The team understood my style and the script, so the budget didn't derail the distinctive Irish flavor; they supported the approach and trusted the plan.
276 – Kylie Lee Baker & Swords Make Everything Worse
Q: How did you decide on the role of folklore in the narrative, like the Okiku and other tales?
Folklore functions as a guiding scaffold for the book's structure, giving each section a mythic anchor that deepens the sense of fate and recurrence. The tales also echo the characters' traumas and desires, making the horror feel universal rather than simply cinematic.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Talking Scared

What is Talking Scared about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dg dive into horror fiction with authors, critics, and industry voices. Conversations center on craft, thematic exploration, and the social and cultural angles shaping contemporary horror, often blending literary analysis with behind-the-scenes storytelling. Notable strengths include thoughtful, well-researched interviews, a strong emphasis on authorial process, and a willingness to connect genre work to broader cultural conversations. The show stands out for its approachable rigor, warmth, and focus on both classic and emergent voices in horror.

Listeners are likely drawn from a literate, genre-loving audience that enjoys on-record discussions of craft, inspirations, and the realities of publishing and adaptation. The format and ho... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Talking Scared?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Talking Scared:

1. The Kingcast
2. The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast
3. Books in the Freezer - A Horror Fiction Podcast
4. Colors of the Dark
5. Halloweenies: A Horror Franchise Podcast

How many episodes of Talking Scared are there?

Talking Scared launched 6 years ago and published 337 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Talking Scared?

Recent guests on Talking Scared include:

1. Tom Lin
2. Damian Robb
3. Naomi Kritzer
4. Melissa Albert
5. Peter Dunne
6. Neena Viel
7. Sarah Langan
8. Daisy Pearce

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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