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Artwork for Talking Scared

Talking Scared

Neil McRobert
Horror Literature
The Haunting Of Hill House
Horror Fiction
Where the Dead Wait
Shirley Jackson
That Light Sublime
The Haunting Of Velkwood
C.S. Humble
Cannibalism
Western Genre
Ghost Story
Violence
Climate Change
Speculative Fiction
Arctic Exploration
Survival Horror
Psychological Horror
Gwendolyn Kiste
The Angel Of Indian Lake
Cosmic Horror

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 weeklyEpisodes318Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsSociety & CultureBooks

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Artwork for Talking Scared

Latest Episodes

Corporate culture is a nightmare, but getting out of the office brings its own problems in Carter Keane’s debut novella – Morsel.

It’s a story about monsters and eldritch beings, about killer cults and evil law-enforcement, about wellbeing scams and... more

Nat and I stick around in the shadowed recesses of Black House for another half hour, to discuss all the things that Chris got right and wrong – and to make some entirely unfounded claims of our own.

It’s overflowing with spoilers for the whole Dark... more

Time to whet our appetites for the Dark Tower again – this time with an extra serving of ass cheek!

After three months away, we’re picking up with travellin’ Jack Sawyer after we left him in The Talisman. We find him in a sleepy Wisconsin town, wher... more

After seeing an early screener of Something Very Bad is Going to Happen I immediately thought it was going to be huge!

So I leapt ahead of the curve and invited writer and showrunner, Haley Z Boston to come talk scared about weddings, soulmates, Dav... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Haley Z. Boston
Writer, creator and showrunner of Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
Netflix / The Duffer Brothers project
Episode: Off Book #16 – Something Very Bad is Going to Happen, with Haley Z. Boston
Tamika Thompson
Ex-journalist and author of The Curse of Hester Gardens
Author, The Curse of Hester Gardens
Episode: Episode 273 – Tamika Thompson & The Shadow of the Gun
Annie Neugebauer
Horror writer, author of You Have to Let Them Bleed and The Extra
Author
Episode: 272 – Annie Neugebauer & The Colour of a Terrible Thought
Avery Curran
Episode: 271 – Avery Curran & The Naughtiest Ghosts in School
Rod Blackhurst
Co-writer and director of Dolly
Dolly (film)
Episode: Off Book #15 – Dolly, with Rod Blackhurst
Christopher Buehlman
Author of Between Two Fires
Episode: 270 – Christopher Buehlman & One Seriously Epic Road Trip
Brennan LaFaro
Author of The Denizens, known for his works in horror fiction.
Episode: 268 – Brennan LaFaro & The Darkness on the Edge of Town
Agatha Andrews
Podcast colleague and expert in gothic and romance
She Wore Black Podcast
Episode: 267 – Wuthering Heights, with Agatha Andrews (from She Wore Black)
Justin C. Key
Author of "The Hospital at the End of the World"
Episode: 266 – Justin C. Key & Don’t Scroll Before Bed

Host

Neil McRobert
Host of Talking Scared

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • Between two fires.

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

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Emmy3212
    United Statesa month 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 States2 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 States3 months ago
  • Stephen King fans will love this

    If you are a King fan then this podcast is for you. I started listening because of the King connection. I’ve really enjoyed the ongoing Dark Tower analysis. I then listened to other episodes with horror authors and OMG I got some great book recommendations which I would have otherwise missed out on. Enjoy!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Peckers UK
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Wizard in Glass!

    Love the show! Audibly gasped when I saw the new Tower episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TheDoorTalks
    United Kingdom4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the interviews for insight and breadth across horror authors.
The show is seen as a trusted source for recommendations and literary analysis.
The host is knowledgeable and thoughtful, with deep respect for guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#109
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#122
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#199
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#61
Norway/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#115
Norway/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#153
Singapore/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Off Book #16 – Something Very Bad is Going to Happen, with Haley Z. Boston
Q: Why open with a car journey instead of introducing the family?
The pilot choice was a leap of faith aimed at sitting with the couple before the family dynamic explodes, and the creator wanted to ground the horror in a personal, intimate space before broadening the scope.
Off Book #16 – Something Very Bad is Going to Happen, with Haley Z. Boston
Q: What is the show actually about beyond the wedding premise?
It's about a woman's emotional journey from doubt to a form of faith, with the supernatural element representing doubt itself and a meditation on what it means to be seen by a soulmate who truly understands you.
271 – Avery Curran & The Naughtiest Ghosts in School
Q: Why set the story in 1928, and how does the Well of Loneliness trial influence that choice?
The date is tied to the Well of Loneliness obscenity trial, a moment of lesbian visibility that the book uses as a backdrop to explore fear, secrecy, and social attitudes without giving the characters access to the surrounding discourse.
271 – Avery Curran & The Naughtiest Ghosts in School
Q: What was the critic Carroll Smith-Rosenberg's work you mentioned, and how does it relate to the book?
Curran notes Smith-Rosenberg's ideas about female friendships and the boundaries between intimacy and social norms; she also mentions Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's homosocial theory as a frame for discussing gendered relationships in the story.
Off Book #15 – Dolly, with Rod Blackhurst
Q: What inspired the concept of Dolly and the character's origins?
Rod describes a confluence of personal experiences, the environment of rural upstate New York, and collaborations that shaped Dolly, emphasizing how a small independent project can evolve into a wider universe.

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?

This show combines in-depth conversations with leading horror writers, critics, and creators to explore how fear, folklore, and literary craft shape some of the genre's most influential works. Episodes range from author deep-dives and book-by-book analyses to discussions of adaptation, ethics, and cultural context, often blending close readings with personal storytelling. A standout angle is the sustained focus on beloved—and sometimes overlooked—masters of horror, plus crossovers into related media like graphic novels and TV adaptations, giving listeners a rich map of how horror stories are born and why they resonate. The host's thoughtful questioning and reverent enthusiasm tend to attract a dedicated community of readers, writers, and ge... 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. The Evolution of Horror

How many episodes of Talking Scared are there?

Talking Scared launched 6 years ago and published 318 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. Haley Z. Boston
2. Tamika Thompson
3. Annie Neugebauer
4. Avery Curran
5. Rod Blackhurst
6. Christopher Buehlman
7. Brennan LaFaro
8. Agatha Andrews

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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