In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with one of the most provocative and fearless voices in contemporary: Eliza Clark. Author of Boy Parts, Penance, and She’s Always Hungry, Clark writes with scalpel-like precision about modern alienation. Nobody captures the digital grotesque quite like her.

We talk about the ethics of obsession, the cultural hunger for true crime, and how fiction can humanise—or implicate—those we call monstrous. Eliza shares her thoughts on revenge narratives, power fantasies, and the moral tension at the heart of storytelling. We also discuss how fan fiction and digital spaces shaped her creative evolution, the blurred line between empathy and horror, and what it means to write characters who do unspeakable things.

If you love unhinged narrators, moral ambiguity, literary horror, or stories that leave you slightly unnerved, then this episode is for you. 🖤

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In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with R. O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries, Exhibit, and co-editor of Kink, to talk about the emotional labor of writing, the role of fear in creativity, and what it means to tell stories that demand vulnerability.

We explore how desire, identity, and ancestral trauma shape Kwon’s work, and how embracing discomfort can lead to deeper truth on the page. Kwon reflects on her journey through the publishing world, the slow and deliberate process of crafting fiction, and the liberation that comes from writing toward one’s own longing.

It’s a conversation about art as survival, about the fears that fuel us, and about finding freedom in the act of creation.

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In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with acclaimed South Korean author Bora Chung: the brilliant mind behind Cursed Bunny and her haunting new collection, Midnight Timetable. Known for blending horror, humour, and political satire, Bora’s stories blur the line between the grotesque and the profound, using the supernatural to explore the most human of emotions.

We talk about her journey from university lecturer to internationally celebrated writer, how Cursed Bunny changed her life after being shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, and why she believes horror can be an act of empathy - a way of writing ghost stories for a broken world.

Bora shares the inspirations behind Midnight Timetable, from Polish and Russian literature to Korean folklore, and reflects on the intersections of revenge, grief, and survival in her fiction. We discuss the challenges of translation, the politics of horror, and the strange comfort of stories that look directly at fear, and still find hope inside it.

If you love literary horror, speculative fiction, or beautifully strange stories that linger long after you’ve finished reading, this episode is the perfect listen for spooky season. 👻

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In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with acclaimed author Ottessa Moshfegh to dive deep into her writing process, the evolution of her style, and the themes that haunt her fiction. From McGlue and Eileen to My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Death in Her Hands, and Lapvona, Moshfegh’s novels consistently interrogate the limits of identity, the grotesque and sublime aspects of embodiment, and the ways confinement—physical, psychological, and societal—shapes human existence.

We talk about the impact of the pandemic on the writing of Lapvona, her fascination with characters trapped by obsession and circumstance, and her insistence on writing what scares her most. She reflects on aging, self-discovery, and what it means to measure a life in books, all while navigating the tension between private creation and public literary identity.

Whether you’re drawn to her unflinching portraits of isolation, her ability to make the grotesque beautiful, or her sharp insights into the contradictions of being human, this candid conversation offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of today’s most compelling writers.

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In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with bestselling author Mona Awad to talk about her highly anticipated new novel, We Love You, Bunny (out today!). A dazzling return to the world of her cult classic Bunny, it blends fairy-tale horror, satire, and dark academia into a story about creation, obsession, and the power of storytelling.

Mona and I explore the evolution of her writing - from sharp realism to feverish surrealism - and the recurring themes that define her work: transformation, body image, identity, and the complexities of the female experience. We also dig into the psychological depth of her characters, the role of humour and satire in her prose, and how fairy tales continue to shape her literary imagination.

Mona reflects on her creative process, the influence of her academic background, and the way music fuels her writing routine. Mona also shares insights into the power of love, friendship, and marginalised voices in literature, offering a rare glimpse into her evolving journey as a writer.

If you’re drawn to fiction that’s grotesque and beautiful, hilarious and haunting, this conversation is for you.

Visit Mona's website for links to order your copy of We Love You Bunny wherever you are in the world.

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Internationally acclaimed writer Mariana Enriquez, author of Our Share of Night, Things We Lost in the Fire, and The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, joins Sick Sad Lit to talk about horror that doesn’t chill - it burns. In this visceral and wide-ranging conversation, she and I explore how the oppressive heat of Buenos Aires fuels her fiction, how music shapes her creative process, and how journalism gave her the tools to interrogate the darkest corners of society. We dive into folklore, rebellion, class, and the ghosts—both real and metaphorical—that linger in her stories. With sharp reflections on urban horror, cultural memory, and the power of place, this episode is a must-listen for fans of literary horror, gothic fiction, and boundary-pushing storytelling.

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In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with writer and violinist Ling Ling Huang, author of the acclaimed debut novel Natural Beauty and the recently released Immaculate Conception. Together, we explore the ways fiction - and creative expression more broadly - helps navigate identity, ambition, and the emotional aftermath of betrayal and transformation.

Ling Ling shares how her background in music informs her literary voice, and how both Natural Beauty and Immaculate Conception confront the pressures of perfection and commodification, from the insidious demands of the beauty industry to the often invisible toll of technology on human connection.

The conversation spans everything from the pain of friendship loss, the complexity of female jealousy, and the shifting landscape of motherhood and creativity, to how speculative fiction allows us to reimagine the limits of identity, body, and self-worth.

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In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with author Emma Van Straaten to explore the raw, unsettling beauty of her debut novel, This Immaculate Body.

Emma reflects on her journey from aspiring writer to published author, sharing how her own personal history informed the creation of her complex protagonist, Alice. We discuss the nuances of character development, how trauma shapes narrative voice, and why writing unflinching, emotionally charged fiction is both a creative and cathartic act.

This episode also explores Emma’s publishing journey, how she balances writing with parenting, and the unique pressures that come with telling stories grounded in identity and internal conflict. From the daily rituals that keep her grounded to the literary influences that shaped her perspective, Emma offers honest insights into the joys and challenges of writing in today’s literary landscape.

If you're drawn to books that confront what it means to exist in a body — and all the pain, rage, and beauty that comes with that — this conversation will resonate.

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