Almost done with 2025 things, I swear!

NEW EPISODE @donatobomb.bsky.social joins the show this week to talk about the Best Horror Movies of 2025! We cover all the expected hits, plus some more under-the-radar stuff, so tune in and find some great stuff to watch! LISTEN NOW

NEXT WEEK The mighty @donatobomb.bsky.social joins the show to finish up our Best of 2025 episodes with a discussion of the best horror movies of the year! Episode drops 1/7 at Noon Central!

NEW EPISODE It's our final episode of 2025, and we're spending it with @sadiehartmann.bsky.social! Mother Horror herself stops by to talk about the Best Horror Books of 2025 in the first part of our two-week Best of 2025 special! redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

COMING THIS WEDNESDAY Our two-part Best of 2025 Special begins! Mother Horror herself, @sadiehartmann.bsky.social, stops by to talk about her new book FERAL AND HYSTERICAL, and we dive into the Best Horror Books of the Year! Episode drops 12/31 at Noon Central!

NEW EPISODE @crobertcargill.bsky.social is here to talk BLACK PHONE 2 spoilers and to rock our worlds with his take on 1980's CHRISTMAS EVIL! Merry Christmas! redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

NEW EPISODE @crobertcargill.bsky.social is here to talk BLACK PHONE 2 spoilers and to rock our worlds with his take on 1980's CHRISTMAS EVIL! Merry Christmas! redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

NEXT WEEK It's our 2025 Christmas Episode! @crobertcargill.bsky.social returns to talk BLACK PHONE 2 spoilers, and we chat about his mind-expanding take on 1980's CHRISTMAS EVIL! Episode drops 12/24 at Noon Central!

Hey folks, due to ~~Unpredictable Family Stuff~~, we unfortunately won't have an episode for you this week. Sorry, things just got away from us. BUT we will be back next week with our 2025 Christmas episode! We'll announce the guest and the story on Friday!

Hey, listeners! This week, we're busy preparing for our Big Two-Part Best of 2025 Spectacular, which will drop at the end of the year, so we're going to re-run an episode from our archives this Wednesday. Informal Poll: What's an episode from the early days you'd like to see featured again?

Because I couldn't stop thinking about it and wanted to make sure as many people as possible see it, I wrote a bit about @peterhallhuman.bsky.social and @paulgandersman.bsky.social's MAN FINDS TAPE over on the newsletter. matthewjacksonwrites.com/film-review-...

Horror fans, I've got a JADE DANIELS IS MY FINAL GIRL shirt (XL) and a copy of MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW for one lucky winner! To enter, show me proof of a donation of $10+ to a food bank this holiday season. I'll pick a winner from all you kind folks! cc @igreggreene.bsky.social @sgj.bsky.social

NEW EPISODE: @claymcleod.bsky.social returns to talk about his YA debut SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE, his 2026 books, and the 1978 classic INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS! It's CLAYHEM time! redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

It's Clay McLeod Chapman Week once again on The Scares That Shaped Us! New episode drops tomorrow!

NEXT WEEK: Friend of the Show @claymcleod.bsky.social returns to talk about his new book SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE, and we dig into the best adaptation of a classic story, 1978's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS! Episode drops 12/10 @ Noon Central!

MAN FINDS TAPE is out now! Watch the movie, then check out our interview with the filmmakers!

Every year Emily does this and every year it's my most-visited web page for anything related to books. Thank you, Emily, for saving the horror lit world so many headaches with your hard work.

ICYMI yesterday, check out our chat with Peter Hall and Paul Gandersman about MAN FINDS TAPE and more!

NEW EPISODE: @peterhallhuman.bsky.social and @paulgandersman.bsky.social, the filmmakers behind MAN FINDS TAPE, join the show this week to talk about their movie (out 12/5!) and dig into a pair of classics: STAND BY ME and ALIENS. redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

NEW EPISODE: @peterhallhuman.bsky.social and @paulgandersman.bsky.social, the filmmakers behind MAN FINDS TAPE, join the show this week to talk about their movie (out 12/5!) and dig into a pair of classics: STAND BY ME and ALIENS. redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

TOMORROW: @peterhallhuman.bsky.social and @paulgandersman.bsky.social, writers and directors of the new horror film MAN FINDS TAPE, join the show for a *double story episode*. Join us to discuss two bangers from 1986: Rob Reiner's STAND BY ME and James Cameron's ALIENS! 12/2 at Noon Central!

Hello! There WILL be a new episode of The Scares That Shaped Us tomorrow! We haven't announced it yet because, well, this one came down to the wire in terms of scheduling. But it's happening. Tomorrow, Noon Central!

Now Rewatching at Scares That Shaped Us HQ...

Author gamely explains the idea as "So I saw a Port-a-potty and I thought Portal-Potty and..." ...And my brain glowed a warm red in recognition of its own kind. And 'Shitshow' is my next read. 👌

Finally read Joyce Carol Oates’s Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? after hearing @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social talk about it on @scaresshapedus.bsky.social and I am now so consumed by it.

Best deep dive into Gremlins 2 you’ll ever hear.

EAT ALL YOUR TURKEY BEFORE MIDNIGHT, then listen to me and Matthew talk about GREMLINS!!

NEW EPISODE Chris Panatier (@scribeofhades.bsky.social) joins the show this week to talk about his new @sobelobooks.bsky.social release SHITSHOW, and we dig into the goodness of GREMLINS and the GREATNESS of GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH! LISTEN NOW: redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

It's Chris Panatier Week on The Scares That Shaped Us! New episode Wednesday!

NEXT WEEK: Chris Panatier (@scribeofhades.bsky.social) joins the show to talk about his new @sobelobooks.bsky.social release SHITSHOW, and we ring in the holiday season with a double dose of GREMLINS movies! Episode drops 11/26 at Noon Central!

NEW EPISODE: Jess Hagemann, author of the amazing MOTHER-EATING: A DOCUMENTARY (out now from @ghoulish.bsky.social) joins the show this week to talk about her book, and we dig into the short films of Jan Svankmajer! LISTEN NOW: redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

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It's Jess Hagemann Week on The Scares That Shaped Us! New episode drops Wednesday!

NEXT WEEK: Jess Hagemann, the author @danielkraus.com says "might be the best horror writer in America," joins the show to talk about her @ghoulish.bsky.social novel MOTHER-EATING, and we dig into the surreal, unsettling short films of Jan Svankmajer! Episode drops 11/19 at Noon Central!

"I don't let any fear of realism get in the way of the idea." -- Nathan Ballingrud, from his interview with Matthew Jackson. For context, this is when Nathan is talking about how he writes very grounded fantasy fiction, and this is EXACTLY the words I needed to hear right now. Excellent episode!

Phenomenal conversation @scaresshapedus.bsky.social @jonathanmaberry.bsky.social So much brilliance and positivity. Demands numerous listens. Maberry is one of the best and he genuinely wants to help other writers. Love this. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

For the evening crowd, don't miss our chat with Jonathan Maberry!

NEW EPISODE @jonathanmaberry.bsky.social joins the show to talk about his NecroTek and Joe Ledger series, his work at Weird Tales, and more, and we dive into Richard Matheson's legendary I AM LEGEND! LISTEN NOW: redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

Check out friend of the show Clay McLeod Chapman's thoughts on his new YA horror novel!

It's @jonathanmaberry.bsky.social Week on The Scares That Shaped Us! Episode drops Wednesday!

Finally back up and running with new essays at the newsletter, this time with a piece unpacking a short story I will never stop rereading, @sgj.bsky.social's "Brushdogs." matthewjacksonwrites.com/essential-sh...

Weekend listeners, check out our chat with Nathan Ballingrud! redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

Weekend listeners, check out our chat with Nathan Ballingrud! redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

NEXT WEEK: @jonathanmaberry.bsky.social joins the show to talk about his NECROTEK and JOE LEDGER series, and we dive into one of the 20th century's all-time great horror novels, Richard Matheson's I AM LEGEND! Episode drops 11/12 at Noon Central!

Evening listeners, don't miss our chat with Nathan Ballingrud!

NEW EPISODE: Nathan Ballingrud joins the show to talk about his new book CATHEDRAL OF THE DROWNED, and we dig into Clive Barker's legendary short story "Dread." LISTEN NOW: redcircle.com/shows/41a2d4...

I love "Dread." One of the reasons I loved getting to adapt it as a feature for Clive was because it's not supernatural at all. It's just about how fucking deep the well of darkness is in us as people and what we are capable of inflicting on one another. Excited to hear this!

It's Nathan Ballingrud Week on The Scares That Shaped Us! Episode drops Wednesday!