E169: Riley Sager and WITH A VENGEANCE

 

Today I welcome Riley Sager back to the show to discuss his new book, WITH A VENGEANCE, a fun midcentury train mystery that was so captivating I couldn’t put it down. We discuss his inspirations for the book, as well as the process. Riley Sager is also on tour right now, so check his website for tour dates in your area. I hope you enjoy the show!

E168: MURDER BALLADS with Katy Horan

 

Today I welcome Katy Horan to the show to discuss her new book, MURDER BALLADS. She painted each powerful illustration in the book and spent years researching these folk songs, which often depict young, beautiful, murdered women floating ethereally down a river. We discuss her process and background and, for my own curiosity, focus on songs by Johnny Cash, PJ Harvey and Nick Cave, and Nirvana’s famous Unplugged performance. Videos for each of these below.

We also mention a nonfiction book she referenced in her research. That link, as well as the link to Katy Horan's book, are also below. 

E167: The Gothic Witch Novels of C.J. Cooke

 

Today I welcome C. J. Cooke to the show to discuss her new book, THE GHOST WOODS, and since I loved this book so much, we discuss books from her backlist too, including THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES and THE BOOK OF WITCHING. I’m fascinated by her gothic writing and consistent themes of witches and motherhood. I do want to take a moment to apologize for the way my voice sounds in this episode. I had an issue with my microphone connecting to my new computer, but that issue has been resolved on other recordings. I hope you enjoy the show!

166: Mimi Matthews and RULES FOR RUIN

 

Today I welcome Mimi Matthews to the show to discuss her new book, RULES FOR RUIN. It’s a fantastic historical romance that’s Peaky Blinders meets Great Expectations. I love all of Mimi’s books, but this is my favorite historical romance from her, and it’s one I’ll definitely reread. She gives us revenge, subterfuge, a sexy hero named Gabriel who grew up in the slums of St Giles and rules it with the savvy of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent and the renown of The Ghost of St. Giles (IYKYK) We also get a weapon wielding heroine named Euphemia who aims to overthrow the patriarchy, setting her boundaries and taking up space in the world. I loved this book, and I hope you enjoy the episode! 

E165: Happy Mermay! Mermaid Books with Desiree M. Niccoli

Today I welcome mermaid aficionado and longtime friend, Desiree M. Niccoli to discuss mermaids across genre fiction. I had her on for a previous MerMay episode a few years ago, soon after the release of her book CALLED TO THE DEEP. Today she created a fun mermaid quiz, which we do at the end of the show, and we discuss the rise in mermaid fiction since our last episode. We also give several book recommendations, listed below and linked to my Bookshop when available

I mentioned in the episode that San Marcos is the "Mermaid Capitol of Texas, and I wanted to link here for more information. 

Photo from City of San Marcos webiste

Titles mentioned or featured on the episode: 

• SKIN OF THE SEA - Natasha Bowen
• THE DEEP - Rivers Solomon
• WITCHFUL THINKING - Celestine Martin
• DAUGHTER OF THE TIDES - Kit Rocha
• THE CAPTIVE MERMAN'S PROMISE - Zoey Castile 
• OCEAN BLEEDS SALTY - Azalea Crowley
• PROVIDENCE GIRLS  - Morgan Dante
• TREACHERY OF WATER - Angela J. Ford
• THE RAKE - Kass O'Shire
• A MAGIC DEEP AND DROWNING - Hester Fox
• UPON A STARLIT TIDE - Kell Woods
• THE SIRENS - Emilia Hart
• THE WOMAN IN THE WAVES - Camille Booker
• A SWEET STING OF SALT - Rose Sutherland

 

E164: Queer Gothic with Paulette Kennedy

 

Today, Paulette Kennedy joins me on the show to discuss Queer Representation in Gothic. Her new book, THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE is out today, and like all of Paulette’s Gothics, it includes queer characters. We chat about how queerness was once subtext, and how it’s evolved over time, and we give some great book recommendations that reflect this evolution. 

Titles include:
- FINGERSMITH by Sarah Waters
- REBECCA by Daphne Du Maurier
- GAYWYCK by Vincent Virga (out of print)
- HOUSE OF HUNGER by Alexis Henderson
- LAVENDER HOUSE by Lev AC ROSEN
- THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY by Oscar Wilde
- GIDEON THE NINTH by Tamsyn Muir
- MOTHEATER by Linda H. Codega
- INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice
- THE LAST WITCH OF EDINBURGH by Marielle Thompson
- THE MADNESS by Dawn Kurtagich

E162: Historical Fantasy with Leslye Penelope

 

Today I welcome an author I’ve long adored to the show, Leslye Penelope. We discuss Historical Fantasy and define the basic parameters of the subgenre. We discuss her work within that context, and we give some great book recommendations, listed below. I hope you enjoy it!

• The Conductors by Nicole Glover
• Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
• Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clare
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
• Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas
• When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill 
• The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
  
• The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
• The Fervor by Alma Katsu