Scary’s Voices: Sound Bites for August 20
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.
The first instalment of Sound Bites was posted August 21, 2020, and to celebrate the awesome podcasters that have filled my year with soothing screams I’m working on some very special posts for September. So, I’ll be taking a short break next week from posting, but I hope you’ll join me the following weeks as I look back at the best of Scary’s Voices.
My Scream of the Week goes to:
Homicide Worldwide Podcast
Thanks to the lovely folks at The Cast Files podcast, this week I started listening to Homicide Worldwide Podcast. For those of you who can’t get enough true crime, you need to add this show to your list.
Hosts Sally and Kita dig deep into infamous serial killers, as well as less known cases from all over the globe. Their most recent episodes (Ep. 032 and 033) presented a two-part look at Dennis Rader, better known as BTK. From discussing Rader’s own reflections on his crimes to how authorities were finally able to capture him, the show gives listeners an insightful look into these deplorable crimes.
Other cases that really caught my attention include Ep. 025 on Robert “Willy” Pickton and Ep. 013 Leonarda Cianciulli “The Soap-Maker of Correggio.” In all the episodes the hosts provide terrific background information on the criminals, as well as delving into the social climate surrounding the cases to provide context and expand the understanding of how these killers went undetected.
It’s clear that the hosts put in a lot of homework into these episodes, and all their resources are listed (or linked, if available online) within the show notes, if you want to further your own research. As with most true crime shows, listener discretion is advised. However, I really appreciated that the hosts only include graphic details of the crimes when they are needed to demonstrate a point of the seriousness of the crimes and not to sensationalise the cases. And thankfully, Sally and Kita also strike the perfect balance of injecting humour into the discussions to keep the conversations from getting too bleak.
Homicide Worldwide Podcast posts new episodes weekly, which typically run 1.5 to 2 hours. You can find them on most podcast platforms or listen directly via BuzzSprout.
Shiver-Worthy Runner-Up:
Paper Cuts
If fictional horrors are more your style, Paper Cuts is an excellent show where hosts Brad Proctor and J. Maddux interview authors and other creatives within the world of books.
The easy conversational style has a natural flow with all their guests, covering topics ranging from early memories of books and movies to writing inspirations, from future aspirations to reflections on the genre of horror. In some cases, the authors even read segments of their work on air.
I especially enjoyed the interview with Sam Richard, the Owner/Operator of Weird Punk Books which dug into the fringy cousin of the horror genre, weird fiction. I’d also recommend Episode 4 with Mitch Sebourn where the fellas talk about including horror in school curriculums, and Episode 5 which includes Ross Jeffery reading from his book “Only the Stains Remain.”
Besides cool hosts and guests, Paper Cuts also stands apart from other podcasts by offering a chance to participate in the live stream of the recording on YouTube. You can submit questions in the comments or just let the guest know how much you enjoy their work. And you won’t want to miss this Saturday, August 21 when the very talented Kev Harrison will make an appearance and talk about some of his latest creations.
Episode runtimes are usually 1.5 to 2 hours long and can be found on most podcast platforms.
Or catch Paper Cuts Live via Brad Proctor’s YouTube channel.
Or listen later via The World According to J!
(both have closed captions available).
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. Thanks to all of you I’ve been finding and sharing excellent horror content for almost an entire year!
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
Leave a Reply