Pod People, it's a new year! The horrors persist, but so do we. We hope 2026 is off to a great start for you, and if it isn't, perhaps a new episode will help to soothe the soul?

In this episode, we discuss Vic Effects, an indie psychological horror film that's currently making the rounds at film festivals! We were lucky enough to receive a screener from writer and director Chris Shern, and friend-of-the-pod Katelin Stack plays The Woman in it. Since this film isn't widely distributed yet, no big spoilers, but we still have a hearty conversation about foley artistry, that trippy moment when art and reality blur, DIY horror, meta storytelling, and obsession.

We also talk about some of the films that are premiering at Sundance Film Festival, which we'll be attending later this month. And you better believe you'll get a full report of that trip on a future episode.

PS - This episode was recorded prior to the new year, so there are discussions of the holidays and December, and why does it already feel like it's been three months since then?

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
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If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

In this episode, we talk to Nebula, Ignyte, Hugo, Locus, and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated writer of speculative short fiction Thomas Ha about his debut short story collection, Uncertain Sons and Other Stories. We discuss immersive storytelling and grounding tales in reality even when navigating apocalyptic and fantastical worlds, a whole lotta writing craft, the conundrum of running or fighting in the face of grave danger, interconnected stories in the Thomas Ha-iverse, how science fiction has an uncanny able to predict our future, and much more.

Visit Thomas's website to learn more about his work: https://www.thomashawrites.com/

Get a copy of Uncertain Sons and Other Stories: https://undertowpublications.com/shop/uncertain-sons

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
Instagram - @horrorinthemargins
TikTok - @horrorinthemargins

If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

Pod People, it's been an exceptional year for the horror genre, so we decided to pause so we could take stock of some of the media we've enjoyed thus far. We talk the films Weapons, Sinners, Final Destination: Bloodlines, and more, as well as some books we've loved, including Old Soul by Susan Barker, Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang, Diavola by Jennifer Thorne, and The Skin You're In by Ashley Robin Franklin, and more.

Obviously, this is nowhere near an exhaustive list, and after we recorded this episode, a whole wave of films hit theaters for October, so there is much to celebrate. Horror is alive and well!

We want to hear from you! What horror media have you really enjoyed this year? Share it with us, and we just might shout you out on a future episode!

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
Instagram - @horrorinthemargins
TikTok - @horrorinthemargins

If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

Pod People, your intrepid hosts both turned 40 this year, and we decided that called for celebration! How are we celebrating on the pod? We each picked one of our all-time favorite horror films to revisit and discuss in depth. First, we discussed Nikki's pick, Alien, and now it's time to go low, low, low, low, low, low, low with Tiffany's pick, Neil Marshall's The Descent (2005). Join us as we discuss why this movie (and Final Destination) made us afraid of following cars hauling damn near anything, the terror of betrayal (especially within female friend groups), cave spelunking gone wrong, the incredible set design that brought these caves to life, lakes of blood...or something like that, and the original ending that was just too bleak to show in theaters in the U.S.

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
Instagram - @horrorinthemargins
TikTok - @horrorinthemargins

If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

Let's talk beauty standards, cultural assimilation, body horror, and filmmaking, Pod People! In this episode, we chat with award-winning Aotearoan Lee Murray about the film Grafted, on which she was a writer. We discuss how she brought her lived experience as a third generation Chinese New Zealander to the script for Grafted, the relatable desire to fit in even at the cost of cultural identity, Lee's favorite bloody scene from the film, and Asian representation within the genre.

As of the recording of this episode, Grafted was streaming on Shudder. Go check it out!

Visit Lee's website to learn more about her incredible work: https://www.leemurray.info/

Stay spooky, Pod People!

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
Instagram - @horrorinthemargins
TikTok - @horrorinthemargins

If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

Pod People, your intrepid hosts both turned 40 this year, and we decided that called for celebration! How are we celebrating on the pod? We each picked one of our all-time favorite horror films to revisit and discuss in depth. First up is Nikki's pick - Ridley Scott's Alien (1979). Join us as we explore space in the Nostromo, ogle over mama-Xenomorph's wet-wet-wet grandeur, and empathize with the shit Jonesy has seen (poor kitty!). We discuss Sigourney Weaver's killer performance, the use of offal and milk for practical effects, and why the film endures as a personal favorite of ours.

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
Instagram - @horrorinthemargins
TikTok - @horrorinthemargins

If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

In this episode, we to talk to Tracy Cross about the first two books in her Conjure series, Rootwork and A Gathering of Weapons! We discuss the differences between Hoodoo and Voodoo, fetishism and appropriation of Black culture in post-Reconstruction Louisiana, biblical retribution and ridding the world of evil, Tracy's heritage and how it influenced and inspired the Conjure series, books and shoes and all manner of things crafted out of human skin, and more! And friends, Tracy is working on more books within the series; get excited for more Hoodoo and Pee Wee and dark reckoning!

Purchase Rootwork:

B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rootwork-tracy-cross/1142564795

Amazon - https://a.co/d/ioosFLJ

Purchase A Gathering of Weapons:

B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-gathering-of-weapons-tracy-cross/1146355861?ean=9781958598382

Amazon - https://a.co/d/4w7bYkB

Links graciously provided by Tracy related to her research into Hoodoo and other topics we discuss during our conversation:

Hoodoo, Conjuration, Witchcraft, Rootwork by Harry Middleton Hyatt

Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom

Every Tongue Got to Confess by Zora Neale Hurston

Visit Tracy's website to learn more about her and her work: https://tracycrossonline.com/

Follow her on socials:

IG - @tracycrosswrites

Facebook - Tracy A Cross

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
Instagram - @horrorinthemargins
TikTok - @horrorinthemargins

If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

To the moon and beyond! In this episode, we chat with horror, sci-fi, and fantasy author Pedro Iniguez about his Bram Stoker nominated poetry collection, Mexicans on the Moon: Speculative Poetry from a Possible Future. We discuss the importance of representation and inclusivity within the sci-fi and horror genres, the unique, four-part structure of Mexicans on the Moon, the themes of the collection, which range from scathing indictments of our current reality to wistful future imaginings of life on moons and other planets to eco-horror, artificial intelligence, spaghettification, and more.

You can pick up a copy of Mexicans on the Moon anywhere you get books! Purchase or order a copy at your local indie bookstore, or order one online from:

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/mexicans-on-the-moon-speculative-poetry-from-a-possible-future-pedro-iniguez/21672726?aid=197&ean=9798989630806&listref=space-cowboy-books-publications

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mexicans-on-the-moon-pedro-iniguez/1146059896

Check out Pedro's website to learn about all his publications and the exciting projects he has coming up: https://pedroiniguez.com/

Follow Pedro on socials:

IG: pete_the_sneak

Bluesky: pedroiniguez.bsky.social

Twitter - @HorrorMargins
Facebook - @HorrorInTheMarginsPodcast
Instagram - @horrorinthemargins
TikTok - @horrorinthemargins

If there's a movie you'd like us to review or a creator you'd like us to interview, send us an email at horrorinthemargins@gmail.com. We're happy to consider your suggestions.

Stay spooky, Pod People.

Podcast intro - Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay
Podcast outro - Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay