Scary’s Voices – Sound Bites
Week Ending 16th October 2020
Sometimes, when shadows stretch and the house is quiet, I hear voices. They tell me about ghosts and creatures of the night. They whisper sinister tales making my skin crawl. Sometimes they even tell me to do things, like watch certain movies or read specific books. Where do these strange voices come from? Podcasters, of course. But I like to call them Scary’s Voices.
Welcome to Sound Bites, where I highlight the best podcasts I’ve heard through the week. Here’s a quick breakdown of my rating system:
Scream of the Week – only one podcast can take this spot each week, and it represents the best of what’s haunted my earbuds, like a 5-Star rating.
Shivers – these shows are great, and not only do I recommend you give them a listen, but I’ve marked them down to listen to again in the future.
Goosebumps – podcasts I liked and will probably try again, but they didn’t quite knock my socks off.
If I listen to something that didn’t make me scream, give me shivers or even goosebumps, they won’t be listed here.
Now let’s get to it!
My Scream of the Week goes to:
I Spit on Your Podcast
Hosted by the Spinsters of Horror, Jess and Kelly, I Spit on Your Podcast is dedicated to bringing a female perspective to all things horror, including movies, books, and even true crime, examining one subject per episode.
Having been a fan of the podcast for quite a while, I was delighted to hear their new subseries called “Kelly’s Taboo Terrors Presents: Shock Talk” where Kelly and a guest discuss an extreme horror film. In the premiere episode, Kelly talks with Kelly McNeely to discuss A Serbian Film. While most people have the impression that extreme horror is merely a genre to test your intestinal fortitude, there is so much more this subgenre has to say, and that’s exactly what “Shock Talk” gets into.
I also listened to “Episode 27.5: The West Memphis Three” which is a mini-episode delving into the tragic deaths of three small boys and the wrongful conviction of three teens caught in the wave of Satanic Panic that swept through America. Countercultures have always been seen by the mainstream as dangerous, and the Spinsters of Horror explore how teens with long hair, wearing black, and listening to metal music became suspected of being violent occultists.
While both the episodes I listened to were about 30 minutes in length, I Spit on Your Podcast episodes normally range between 1 to 1.5 hours. New full episodes are posted monthly with mini-episodes tucked between them. Catch up on all past episodes, including links to reference materials, on their website: www.spinstersofhorror.com
Now for the Shivers!
This week I also tried out Everything Fear, which was suggested to me by talented horror author Lee Franklin. The podcast name really sums up what host Kit Tinsley provides, with each episode offering a combination of guest interviews, spooky news from around the world, music, and narrated fiction. My initial listen was “Episode Nine” which included an interview with horror filmmaker M. J. Dixon, a fantastic short story from John Paul Fitch, a song by psychedelic punk band Indigo Riot, as well as a true horror story from a correctional officer. It’s a lot to cover, so these episodes normally run 1.5 to 2 hours, but with the range of topics, there’s never a dull moment. You can find out more, including links to horror movie reviews on YouTube, by visiting the Everything Fear website: www.everything-fear.com
Next, I was absolutely thrilled to see a new episode from Thunder Grunt. Host Bob Rose has a few subseries on this podcast, including “Whose Roll is it Anyway?” for D&D fans, and movie reviews with assorted guests. But my favourite subseries is “Writers/Blockbusters” where Bob and co-hosts Jimmy George and Jamie Nash break down the mechanics of the scripts behind blockbuster movies. If you have any interest in scriptwriting, I highly recommend this podcast. In the latest episode “Writers/Blockbusters 055 | The Invisible Man,” the trio examine Leigh Whannell’s 2020 version of The Invisible Man, identifying common methods of screenwriting employed in this script, and explaining why they work. More than that though, I find these episodes fascinating as the hosts also go into how you can apply the same methods yourself and provide a better understanding of the craft. While Thunder Grunt doesn’t specialise in horror, most films discussed tread on the darker side of the reel. Depending on the complexity of the movie being discussed, and how much fun the guys are having, episodes run anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, and you can find them all here: www.thundergrunt.com
Lastly, there was another new-to-me podcast called Cosmic Shenanigans, referred by the talented author Michael Sellars. Cosmic horror isn’t a subgenre I’m all that familiar with – I’ve read some and thought they were cool, but it wasn’t until listening to this podcast that I really started to understand what defines this subgenre and the mechanics behind it. Hosted by Mary SanGiovanni, Cosmic Shenanigans takes an in-depth look at works of cosmic horror, analysing how and why these stories are so impactful. I listened to “Episode Seven – Cosmic Shenanigans – Ep 86” which examines John Langan’s “Last Stand Against the Pack in the Kingdom of Purple Flowers,” as well as “White Holes and Bridges to Other Dimensions – Cosmic Shenanigans – Ep 85” where Mary talks about real scientific theories, such as the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, and ponders how facts can be folded into fiction. Episodes typically range from 30 to 45 minutes in length and are available on the following website: www.marysangiovanni.com
Everything I listened to this week was terrific, so there’s no Goosebumps rated podcasts this week and that’s a wrap for Sound Bites!
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’m looking forward to presenting you with even more Scary’s Voices.
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.
Her latest short story can be found in Don’t Open the Door: A Horror Anthology (out July 26, 2019), and other spooky tales can be found on her blog. She’s currently writing more short stories, a novel, and reading as many dark works as she can find.
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
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