Welcome back to Sound Bites where I highlight the best horror podcasts I’ve heard through the week. If you’re looking for content to haunt your earbuds, these podcasts are just what you need.
My Scream of the Week goes to:
The Ghost Story Guys
Listening to podcasts is a lot like falling down the deepest rabbit hole. One subject or voice leads to another episode, then to another show, and so on. Such is the case with how I stumbled across The Ghost Story Guys.
Last week I did a happy dance when I saw that two awesome Canadian horror writers, Steve Stred and Andrew Pyper, would be appearing together on a podcast called “Largely the Truth” hosted by Brennan Storr. It was a fantastic conversation and I highly recommend checking it out! But what really caught my attention was that Brennan mentioned another podcast he hosts, one all about true paranormal encounters, and well there was no way I could pass that by!
The Ghost Story Guys was awesome! Co-hosting with Brennan is Paul Bestall, and together they narrate paranormal experiences that have been sent to the show, discuss how the encounters fit in the larger picture of reported supernatural occurrences, and even add their own experiences along the way. What I really enjoy is how well the episodes are put together, striking a perfect balance of being scripted and having a natural flowing conversation.
I’d suggest starting off with “S6 Ep10: The Owls Are Not What They Seem” which had a few stories that literally gave me chills, and then dive into “S6 Ep14: The Abominable Mr. Skin” where the tale of Mr. Skin will give you nightmares for a good long while. Or, if you’re short on time, check out their brief 15-minute episodes labelled “Book of the Dead” which present 3 short ghost stories without any extra discussion.
Insightful and entertaining, The Ghost Story Guys is a spooktacular addition for any fan of paranormal research. Main episodes run between 1.5 to 2 hours, and you can find links to all episodes via their website www.ghoststoryguys.com
Shiver-Worthy Runner-Up:
Horror Queers
The other show that lit up my earbuds this week takes a look at horror films through an LGBTQ+ lens, decoding queer characters and themes, and also enjoys discussing movies with a lot of camp.
Each week the hosts of Horror Queers, Joe Lipsett and Trace Thurman, invite a guest to talk about a particular film, and at the moment are examining titles that are either underseen or underrated. Scrolling through past episodes I saw movies such as Witchboard, Creep, and Piranha 3D, which all tugged at my interest, but when I saw Boys in the Trees, I knew I’d be settling in to enjoy this podcast for a long while.
Featuring Australian author Aaron Dries, the episode on Boys in the Trees (2016) was a phenomenal discussion about masculinity, bullying, conflicts in peer groups, and so much more. As with all Horror Queers episodes, this conversation covers the film in-depth, so I recommend giving it a watch before listening.
I also caught the terrific episode digging into the layers of symbolism within the film mother! featuring Gabe and Kat the hosts of Ghouls Next Door podcast, and can’t wait to hear the newest episode covering Near Dark with guest Kyle Adam Foster.
What I appreciate most about this show is how the hosts and guests relate these cinematic horrors to personal experiences of fear for being labelled as “other” by society at large. These conversations are open and honest, and demonstrate how much we need and love the genre of horror.
Horror Queers episodes typically run around the 2-hour mark, and you can find them all through the Bloody Disgusting Podcast Network #horrorqueers
That’s a wrap for this week’s Sound Bites!
As always, thanks so much to the awesome podcast listeners and creators who have been sending me terrific recommendations. Keep them coming via the comments section below, or direct messaging on Twitter or Instagram (links below). I can’t promise I’ll enjoy every podcast you throw my way, but I’ll give everyone a fair shot.
Remember, I’m all about scary things and spooky podcasts are what I’m after. Content focused on reviewing horror movies and horror books, true paranormal encounters, facts about cryptids, true crimes, and original scary stories are exactly what I want to hear.
Can’t wait to listen to all the dark podcasts you fine fiends suggest, and I hope you’ll join me next Friday for more Sound Bites.
J.A. Sullivan
J. A. Sullivan is a horror writer and paranormal enthusiast, based in Brantford, ON, Canada. Attracted to everything non-horror folks consider strange, she’s spent years as a paranormal investigator, has an insatiable appetite for serial killer information, and would live inside a library if she could.
As curator of “Scary’s Voices” on Kendall Reviews, an article series reviewing horror podcasts, Sullivan loves listening to all things spooky. If you have a horror podcast recommendation, let her know.
On top of contributing short stories to Kendall Reviews, her fiction has appeared in Don’t Open the Door (2019), It Came From The Darkness (2020), and she acted as an assistant editor for Black Dogs, Black Tales (2020). Other spooky tales and updates on her writing journey can be found on her blog.
You can follow J. A. on Twitter @ScaryJASullivan
Check out her blog https://writingscaredblog.wordpress.com
Find her on Instagram www.instagram.com/j.a_sullivan
Find her on Instagram www.instagram.com/j.a_sullivan
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