In this episode, author and medieval literature scholar Taylor Grothe joins host KJ Brantley to discuss Hollow and Lethal Kiss, two horror novels exploring identity, belonging, and the danger of hiding who you really are. From a forest community offering a vulnerable teenager acceptance to a university steeped in misogyny, deadly secrets, and monstrous desire, Taylor’s stories ask what it costs to fit in and what happens when you stop trying.

Taylor and KJ discuss the autistic experience behind Hollow, including masking, sensory overload, and learning to navigate a world that mistakes outward capability for an absence of struggle. Taylor shares how their own teenage attempts to change their appearance and behavior to be liked informed Cassie’s story, and why seeing an autistic character on the page can make a difference. They also explore how cults exploit the desire for belonging, turning promises of care into transactions and control.

Their conversation turns to Lethal Kiss, a dark academia horror romance pairing an autistic academic with a monstrous professor. Taylor reflects on the misogyny and power structures within academia, the satisfaction of writing ruthless characters, and the influences behind their monsters. Along the way, they make a case for why Grendel’s mother deserved a name, a story, and a chance to be understood.

Finally, they reflect on horror’s political and social dimensions, the importance of scholarship, and why readers should venture beyond familiar genres and perspectives. Taylor also shares a glimpse of an upcoming project and discusses the importance of supporting marginalized authors.

Taylor Grothe’s Uncanny Women Podcast Author Picks:

Andrew Joseph White
K. M. Enright

Taylor recommends exploring both authors’ work; no specific titles were selected during this portion of the conversation.

Books Written by Taylor Grothe Mentioned in This Episode:

Hollow
Lethal Kiss

Other Literary Works Discussed in This Episode:

Beowulf by an anonymous poet
Grendel by John Gardner
Grettir’s Saga

Connect with Taylor Grothe:

Instagram: @taylorlgrothe
Threads: @taylorlgrothe
Website: TaylorGrothe.com

About the Host, KJ Brantley:

KJ Brantley is an Indigenous-mixed, autistic horror and dark fiction author whose work explores motherhood, feminism, identity, neurodivergence, trauma, and psychological horror. Drawn to the intersection of entertainment and social commentary, she crafts stories that are both unsettling and emotionally resonant. She is the host of Uncanny Women Podcast and founder and organizer of the SoCo Women in Horror Fest. She is currently the Chair of the Women in Horror Arts and Media Association and co-owner of Broom Book & Candle Horror and Dark Literature Bookstore, Cafe, and Bar in Denver. KJ lives in Colorado with her husband, two toddlers, and an ever-growing stack of spooky books.

Follow KJ and the Women in Horror Arts & Media Association on IG and Threads at @uncannywomenpodcast | @authorkjbrantley | @womeninhorrorassociation

Learn more at WomenInHorrorAssociation.org and BroomBookCandle.com.

In this episode, author Bitter Karella joins host KJ Brantley to discuss Moonflow and Quaint Folk, two wildly different horror novels connected by queer identity, repression, cults, and the fear of revealing who you really are. From a psychedelic journey through a terrifying forest to the rot beneath an idyllic English community, Bitter’s fiction asks what happens when belonging comes at the cost of being yourself.

Bitter and KJ explore the family secrets at the heart of Quaint Folk: a mother struggling with religious trauma and repressed desires, a nonbinary teenager discovering their identity through witchcraft, and a family determined to maintain the appearance of a perfect life. They discuss the things parents and children hide to protect one another, and how that protection can become its own kind of harm.

Their conversation also considers the fear of being perceived, the pressure to downplay your needs, and the vulnerability of discovering and expressing your gender identity later in life. Bitter reflects on how writing Moonflow helped bring personal realizations to the surface, and how Quaint Folk became a place to work through the more complicated questions that followed.

There’s plenty of humor along the way, including invented insults, an allegedly unpublishable debut, and Bitter’s college experience attending religious meetings for the free food...until the group asked them to stop coming. Together, Bitter and KJ explore why cults are such compelling territory for horror, how well-intentioned parents pass down their baggage, and why the most unsettling stories often begin with someone else’s idea of the perfect life.

Bitter Karella’s Uncanny Women Podcast Book Picks:

Transmuted by Eve Harms
The Exodontists by Drew Huff
Ink Vine by Elizabeth Broadbent
Humboldt Cut by Allison Mick

Bitter also recommends exploring the work of Hailey Piper and Gretchen Felker-Martin.

Books Written by Bitter Karella Mentioned in This Episode:

Moonflow
Quaint Folk

Connect with Bitter Karella:

Instagram: @bitterkarella
Bluesky: @bitterkarella.bsky.social
Tumblr: @bitterkarella
Patreon: patreon.com/bitterkarella
Website: BitterKarella.com
Midnight Pals: @midnightpals.bsky.social

About the Host, KJ Brantley:

KJ Brantley is an Indigenous-mixed, autistic horror and dark fiction author whose work explores motherhood, feminism, identity, neurodivergence, trauma, and psychological horror. Drawn to the intersection of entertainment and social commentary, she crafts stories that are both unsettling and emotionally resonant. She is the host of Uncanny Women Podcast and founder and organizer of the SoCo Women in Horror Fest. She is currently the Chair of the Women in Horror Arts and Media Association and co-owner of Broom Book & Candle Horror and Dark Literature Bookstore, Cafe, and Bar in Denver. KJ lives in Colorado with her husband, two toddlers, and an ever-growing stack of spooky books.

Follow KJ and the Women in Horror Arts & Media Association on IG and Threads at @uncannywomenpodcast | @authorkjbrantley | @womeninhorrorassociation

Learn more at WomenInHorrorAssociation.org and BroomBookCandle.com.

In this episode, author and literary translator Tiffany Tsao joins host KJ Brantley to discuss her latest novel, But Won’t I Miss Me, a chilling blend of body horror and speculative fiction. In its world, becoming a mother means being consumed and replaced by a stronger version of yourself. But what happens when that transformation doesn’t go as expected?

Tiffany and KJ explore the physical and psychological toll of postpartum motherhood, the mental load, and the expectation that women should surrender their identities to become mothers. Their conversation considers the value of human life and what it means to struggle in a society that expects mothers to be inexhaustible.

They also discuss the diverse backgrounds and experiences of people across the Asian diaspora, Tiffany’s Chinese Indonesian heritage, and racism in Australia and around the world.

Finally, they reflect on raising sons: the love, the responsibility, and the fear that comes with wondering whether the boys you love will grow up to challenge the patriarchal systems around them or perpetuate them. Together, they explore how horror makes room for conversations about motherhood that society too often asks women to keep to themselves, while questioning what we’re complicit in normalizing about the way women and mothers are treated.

Tiffany Tsao’s Uncanny Women Podcast Book Picks:

Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution by Adrienne Rich

Night of a Thousand Hells by Indonesian author Intan Paramaditha translated by Tiffany Tsao and Stephen Epstein

Imminence by Argentinian author Mariana Dimopulos translated by Alice Whitmore

The Trial of Anna Thalburg by Mexican author Eduardo Sangarcía, translated by Elizabeth Bryer

Books Written by Tiffany Tsao Mentioned in This Episode:

But Won't I Miss Me

Tiffany Tsao's Non-Fiction Article Mentioned in This Episode:

Grave Years and the Undead Woman: On the Chilling Erasure of Mothers' Needs

Connect with Tiffany Tsao:

Instagram: @tiffanytsao

Website: https://tiffanytsao.com/

About the Host, KJ Brantley:

KJ Brantley is an Indigenous-mixed, autistic horror and dark fiction author whose work explores motherhood, feminism, identity, neurodivergence, trauma, and psychological horror. Drawn to the intersection of entertainment and social commentary, she crafts stories that are both unsettling and emotionally resonant. She is the host of Uncanny Women Podcast and founder and organizer of the SoCo Women in Horror Fest. She is currently the Chair of the Women in Horror Arts and Media Association and co-owner of Broom Book & Candle Horror and Dark Literature Bookstore, Cafe, and Bar in Denver. KJ lives in Colorado with her husband, two toddlers, and an ever-growing stack of spooky books.

Follow KJ and Women in Horror AMA on IG and Threads at @uncannywomenpodcast | @authorkjbrantley | @womeninhorrorassociation

Learn more at WomenInHorrorAssociation.Org and BroomBookCandle.com.