Burial Plot Horror Podcast

On this episode, we are very excited to welcome back author Daniel Braum (see episode 18).

Daniel Braum writes “strange tales” in the tradition of Robert Aickman. His stories, set in locations around the globe, explore the tension between the psychological and supernatural.

He is the author of the collections Underworld Dreams, The Wish Mechanics: Stories of the Strange and Fantastic, and Yeti Tiger Dragon.

The all-new Cemetery Dance Publications edition of his first short story collection The Night Marchers and Other Strange Tales is out May 19th.

Cemetery Dance Publications will be releasing his novella The Serpent’s Shadow in Fall 2023.

We talk to Daniel about the re-release of his first short story collection, The Night Marchers and Other Strange Tales. Daniel tells us how it was to revisit these stories and about the gorgeous cover that Dan Sauer created for it. We ask about his hope for the collection.

We pick Daniel's brain about changes in the industry that he has seen since this collection first came out. We also chat about story revisions, story endings, and other areas of rewrites that are challenging.

We asked Daniel about the reoccurring elements of water and music in his work, the answers may intrigue you. We asked how Daniel creates such rich settings and characters and joins them together for some unforgettable stories.

We discuss the power of the liminal space between the supernatural and science and the human condition.

Daniel reads from Music of the Spheres, the opening story of the collection.

Daniel Braum can be found here: https://bloodandstardust.wordpress.com/
and on his Amazon Author Page.

Brenda is here: https://brendatolian.com/
Joy is here: https://www.joyyehle.com/

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the podcasters.

Tasha is a fan of all things horror, a dog mom, a freelance editor, and an avid reader. She's the host of The Ghoulish Gallery Podcast, where she discusses local cryptids, urban legends, and other spooky things with her guests from all over the world, and loves collaborating with other creators. She's also the founder of The Sinister Scoop - a horror news site where she and other contributors share book, gaming and movie reviews, creator interviews, and anything else they can do to promote people within the horror community.

Tasha joins us for a discussion about monsters, ghosts, hauntings, and UFO's. Each of us shares our own strange encounters with the other side.

Tasha tells us about The Sinister Scoop website and all that she does to support the horror creator community.

Tasha is on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/tmr_8706
find her editing and other writing services here:
https://www.thesinisterscoop.com/writing-resources

The Sinister Scoop -
- Twitter https://twitter.com/sinisterscoop6
The Ghoulish Gallery Podcast
- Twitter https://twitter.com/ghoulishgalpod
-Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thesinisterscoop/

Joy can be found at: www.joyyehle.com

Brenda can be found at: www.brendatolian.com

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the podcasters.

On this episode, we are joined by author Jeff Wood.

Author Jeff Wood lives in Colorado Springs, where he spends way too much time staring at the night sky, and a little too much time watching baseball. His stories have appeared in over 30 publications such as Boston Phoenix, New York Press, Wild Musette, Fiction at Work, Bright Desire, The Greyrock Review, Bellowing Ark, and Java Journal. He has a children’s play included in the anthology CHILDSPLAY, in the company of such authors as Sam Shepard and Maya Angelou.

This was recorded near the time of Mardi Gras and Jeff shares a harrowing tale of his experience there during his younger years.

Jeff tells us about the sub-genre, suburban horror, in which he writes most of his stories. The feeling that there are deeper and maybe nefarious things going on under the veil of conformity. How the menace in everyday things influences his writing.

Jeff shares his experience of his story A Trick of Light being dramatized on the No Sleep Podcast and this leads to an interesting discussion about horror theatre. The pandemic gave birth to many new technologies and vehicles for storytelling.

Jeff shares that one of his biggest pleasures is planning his day around his writing and setting word goals for himself. Jeff co-hosts a virtual short critique group for the Denver Horror Collective, as well.

Jeff read from his short story Dandelions about raising daughters in a time of monsters.

Jeff can be found at: https://jeffwood.substack.com/

Short Critique Group Info:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/350613005371750

Joy can be found at: www.joyyehle.com

Brenda can be found at: www.brendatolian.com

No Sleep Podcast: https://www.thenosleeppodcast.com/episodes/s17/17x16



**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the podcasters.

The Burial Plot returns! Welcome back after our unavoidable hiatus, but we are still ALIVE!

In this episode, we sit down with author P.L. McMillan whose works have been known to cause rifts in time and space itself...

Well, not quite. But writing often makes her feel that powerful.

With a passion for cosmic horror and sci-fi horror, P.L. McMillan sees every shadow as an entryway to a deeper look into the black heart of the world, meant to be discovered and explored. Infatuated with the works of Shirley Jackson, H.P. Lovecraft, and Ridley Scott, her dream is to create stories of adventure, of chills, of heartbreak, and thrills.

P.L. lives in Colorado, with her large selection of teas, her husband, and her two chinchillas (Sherlock and Spuds) – all under the supervision of their black cat overlords, Poe and Zerg.

We discuss her first foray into editing with the HOWLs' Society anthology, Howls from the Dark Ages. P.L. tells us about the feeling of being a "gatekeeper" and other challenges and triumphs of her experience.

P.L. has had a very busy few months and her debut collection, What Remains when the Stars Burn Out, is available now. In addition, her debut novella, Sisters of the Crimson Vine is available for preorder.

We discuss the themes of Sisters of the Crimson Vine and that feminist horror is often misunderstood. This leads down a brilliant path of discussion about feminism in horror and the way women's bodies and sex are used in the genre.

P.L. gives us a taste of her debut novella with a reading!

Brenda describes Sisters of the Crimson Vine as literary folk horror and that fits it perfectly. It is a well-written and creepy tale, order your copy today!

Find P.L. McMillan at: https://www.plmcmillan.com/
Or on Twitter @authorplm
P.L. McMillan's Amazon Author Page

Brenda can be found here: https://brendatolian.com/
Joy can be found here: https://www.joyyehle.com/

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the podcasters.

Trigger Warning - SA

In this episode, we are so very excited to visit with author EV Knight. Our hosts had the pleasure of meeting and hearing EV read from her latest release at this past StokerCon in Denver.

EV Knight is the author of the Bram Stoker Award-winning debut novel, The Fourth Whore. She released her sophomore novel, Children of Demeter, as well as a novella, Partum, in 2021. This year, her novella Three Days in the Pink Tower published by Creature Publishing was released in July. She also has stories featured in several various anthologies this year.

EV lives in one of America’s most haunted cities—Savannah, GA. When not out searching for the ghosts of the past, EV can be found at home with her husband Matt, her beloved Chinese Crested Gozer Augustus, and their three naughty sphynx cats.

EV shares with us the why of writing in the horror genre, what her creative process looks like, and her favorite part of writing. We wanted to know about her stellar work ethic and how she stays so amazingly productive.

Three Days in the Pink Tower is based on the horrible real-world experience that EV had as a seventeen-year-old. She shares the details of that harrowing encounter and how it inspired and influenced her latest work and life.

We talk about the power of women writers re-telling familiar horror tropes that revolve around women’s bodies and trauma. Perhaps, EV has created a new type of final girl, where we get inside the mind of the final girl rather than simply witness her reacting.

The novella uses the tarot as inspiration and character. EV shares her ideas about using tarot in the book and for storytelling in general.

EV reads an expert from Three Days in the Pink Tower.

Next up for EV is her retelling of Dracula from a female Renfield's perspective and a foray into screenwriting!

EV Knight can be found here:
https://evknightauthor.com/
Buy Three Days in the Pink Tower here.

Tarot for writing resources:
Hillary Leftwich's Alchemy Writing Workshop
The Magic of Tarot: Your Guide to Intuitive Readings, Rituals, and Spells by Sasha Graham

Brenda's Website
Joy's Website

National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission that will be used to continue to bring our audience great horror content.

*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the Podcasters.

Jon Bassoff is the author of nine novels. His mountain gothic novel, Corrosion, has been translated into French and German and was nominated for the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere, France’s biggest crime fiction award. His psycho-noir novel, The Disassembled Man, has been adapted for the big screen with a filming date set to begin within the next hundred years. He also wrote the screenplay for Bizarre Love Triangle, which was named a semi-finalist at the New York Cinematography Awards and a finalist at the Seattle Film Festival for best short film.

His work has been featured several times in New York Magazine and has garnered the attention of fellow authors such as Craig Johnson, author of the Longmire series, SA Cosby, author of Razorblade Tears, and Paul Trembley, author of A headful of ghosts, and many others.

For his day job, Jon teaches high school English where he is known by students and faculty alike as the deranged writer guy. He is a connoisseur of tequila, hot sauces, psychobilly music, and flea-bag motels.

His latest novel Beneath Cruel Waters from Blackstone Publishing is available now.

We asked Jon about breaking down Gothic Noire, as his writing has been described and how those influences show up in his work. We also ask Jon about reoccurring themes that show up in his writing.

Brenda and Joy try to unpack the impact that Beneath Cruel Waters has had on both of them. We discuss the themes, the deep characters, the well-played twists, and the devasting beautiful darkness of the novel.

Jon shares his experience with writing screenplays and behind the scenes of making novels, or not, into movies.

Jon can be found here: https://www.jonbassoff.com/
Beneath Cruel Waters can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/3nxmEkC or at Bookshop.Org

Brenda is here: https://brendatolian.com/
Joy is here: https://www.joyyehle.com/

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission that will be used to continue to bring our audience great horror content.

*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the Podcasters.

Brenda S. Tolian MFA ~is the author of BLOOD MOUNTAIN published by RAW DOG SCREAMING PRESS.

She is a member of the HWA, AWP, and the Angela Carter Society. She is a graduate of Adams State University, Regis University (MFA), and a Doctoral Student of Literature at Murray State University. Her work has appeared in Haunted Mtl.com, the anthology 101 Proof Horror, the Denver Horror Collective’s anthology Consumed Tales Inspired by The Wendigo, The Jewish Book Of Horror, Twisted Pulp Magazine issue 3. Brenda also writes academically on subjects such as Postmodernism, Vladimir Nabokov, and the female body within horror.

Brenda co-hosts the Burial Plot Horror Podcast. She is a lead instructor of dark fiction with Al•che•my Writers Workshop in Denver and one of a trinity of directors at ☿ OUROBOROS SCREAMING where BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, female and female-identifying creators of dark fiction can hone their craft. She now calls New Orleans home after a long stint in the southwest.

We discuss Brenda's new release, Blood Mountain, and the mysterious San Luis Valley that inspired it. Brenda explains that in her stories she wanted to explore how the colonization of the area had scarred the land itself and the indigenous people of the area as well as a catharsis for her. Brenda shares her advice to other writers about using sensitivity readers and the importance of listening and incorporating their feedback.

I ask Brenda about the short films she makes, her poetry, painting, and music. Proceeds from her music go to efforts to help refugees or directly to single moms that need help. She is working on a collaborative visual poetry album, Winter and Woe, with Sinjin Jones

We discuss her work as a horror academic and the focus on the treatment of women's bodies in horror and the need for the horror tropes to be retold by women.

Brenda can be found here: https://brendatolian.com/
Buy Blood Mountain here: https://amzn.to/3NrL1KR
Find Winter and Woe here: https://www.foundryofaether.com/woe
Find Brenda's Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0wZ5daq4GYmZcv5LOwfRVr
Alchemy Writers Workshop
Ouroboros Screaming
Raw Dog Screaming Press
Blood Mountain cover artist Daniele Serra

Joy can be found here: https://www.joyyehle.com/

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the podcasters.

On this episode we are thrilled to have author Jo Kaplan aka Joanna Parypinski.

Jo is the author of more than twenty short stories and several novels, co-chair of the LA chapter of the Horror Writers Association, and an English professor. She also writes under the name Joanna Parypinski. Her fiction has appeared in Fireside Fiction, Nightmare Magazine, Black Static, Vastarien, Nightscript, Haunted Nights (ed. Ellen Datlow & Lisa Morton), and Bram Stoker Award-nominated anthology Miscreations: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors. She lives with her husband and cats in Los Angeles.

We ask Jo the reason for the two names and chat about the general use of pseudonyms by women in the horror genre. This moves us on to the topic of the exciting rise of diverse prospectives in horror.

We talk about the writing and enjoyment of Horror Poetry; how it creates an excellent venue to plumb the darkness in ways different and maybe more effective than a short story or novel. Particularly, the power of imagery and symbolism to create pieces that literally haunt the reader.

We talk about her short story, In Dark Corner and Neglected Places which appears in Three Crows Year Two: Anthology of Weird Science Fiction and Fantasy, and the broader topic of folklore and diverse cultural viewpoints in horror.

Jo tells us about the reoccurring theme that has prevalent in most of her writing and gives us some deep things to consider. In discussing her soon-to-be-released novel, When the Night Bells Ring, we explore the responsibility of the horror genre to address existential horrors such as climate change and deadly pandemics.

Jo reads to us from her short story, Her. House. that can be found in Horror Library 7.

Jo Kaplan can be found at: https://jo-kaplan.com/
When the Night Bells Ring can be preordered here. https://jo-kaplan.com/2021/11/20/when-the-night-bells-ring/
Her. House. can be found here: http://www.darkmoonbooks.com/Horror_Library_7.html

Brenda is here: https://brendatolian.com/
Brenda's new book Blood Mountain is available here: https://rawdogscreaming.com/cover-reveal-blood-mountain/

Joy is here: https://www.joyyehle.com/

Other Links:
Thirteen Nocturnes by Oliver Sheppard https://amzn.to/3GQn7XS
Unicorn: the poetry of Angela Carter https://amzn.to/3zeCPdH
Exposed Nerves by Lucy A Snyder https://amzn.to/3MoujLP

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission that will be used to continue to bring our audience great horror content.

*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the Podcasters.

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling horror and fantasy author, Sylvester Barzey.

Sylvester grew up in Bronx, NY, and was later transplanted to Lawrence, GA. A military veteran with an addiction to all things horror, Sylvester’s goal is to shine a spotlight on BIPOC characters within the horror/fantasy genre. He strives to produce Black heroes who overcome world-shattering events and rise triumphant. His mission is to change horror so that his children can look at it and see themselves as survivors.

We discuss his life-long love of horror that brought him to the genre.

In his writing, especially his Planet Dead series, Sylvester tries to spotlight black families. He sees a deficit in BIPOC characters in the genre not being the main characters and wants to change that. We discuss the impact that George Romero had on developing his thoughts in this area.

We asked him what he enjoys about creating in apocalyptic settings and how the pandemic has shifted, or not, his perspective.

We chat about his experience being one of a few black authors working in the zombie genre , and what he finds the most challenging and the most rewarding.

Sylvester tells us about the podcast Black Geek Couple that he hosts with his wife Angel where they discuss movies, books, and pop culture.

He shares the audiobook intro of Planet Dead with us. It is chilling and intriguing, don't miss it!

You can find all things Sylvester Barzey here: https://www.sylvesterbarzey.com/
Follow him here: https://twitter.com/sylvesterbarzey
https://www.instagram.com/sylvesterbarzey/
https://www.facebook.com/authorsylvesterbarzey

Find Joy here: joyyehle.com

And

Brenda here: brendatolian.com

Find pre-orders for Blood Mountain by Brenda Tolian, Published by Raw Dog Screaming Press here:
Blood Mountain by Brenda Tolian

**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission that will be used to continue to bring our audience great horror content.

*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the Podcasters.

In this episode, we are very excited to have author Daniel Braum. Daniel’s fiction has been classified as fantasy, science fiction, and horror but he prefers the good old-fashioned term of fiction, which when he was growing up simply meant a story where anything could happen. His stories frequently defy category and reside in the fuzzy areas between genres, utilizing and combining genre elements to produce tales that are wholly unique.

Daniel’s short works have appeared in numerous anthologies and publications. He has also published collections of his short stories and two novels.

We discussed the challenge, rewards, and development of a cross-genre story. Daniel tells us that others actually categorized some of his work as horror and he learned about the genre from Cemetery Dance Magazine and Ellen Datlow's The Best Horror of the Year Anthologies. Daniel shares his creative process and how setting deeply influences his story development. We talk about the way he effectively communicates universal themes in his writing in such a subtle and impactful way.

We chat about Daniel's story Hand of Fire which appears in The Jewish Book of Horror edited by Josh Schlossberg and the importance of having spaces for stories of this vein. Brenda compared it to UBO by Steve Rasnic Tem.

Daniel hosts the New York Ghost Story Festival that aims to bring back ghost stories to Christmas time. He tells us how it came about and why. We discuss the impressive array of paranormal and cryptid subjects that appear in Daniel's writing.

Daniel reads from his short story, How to Stay Afloat Without Drowning, which can be found in his collection Underworld Dreams or The Best Horror of the Year, Volume 12.

Find more about Daniel here: https://bloodandstardust.wordpress.com/
and on his Amazon Author Page.

Brenda is here: https://brendatolian.com/
Joy is here: https://www.joyyehle.com/


**When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission that will be used to continue to bring our audience great horror content.

*Disclaimer: Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Podcasters. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the Podcasters.